When you read that the police chief has issued a press release what does that mean? Did he offer the info to the news? Did the reporter approach him? Was this "big" news? Would the story report a press release just because the police chief agreed to answer the reporter's questions? Is the police chief just trying to get his side of the story out to the public first?
Any ideas would be appreciated.
2006-09-15 01:39:04 · 4 answers · asked by ebosgramma 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Reporters use police scanners and know when there is something "big" or interesting going on. They will camp outside police headquarters or the police chief's house or the crime scene until they get "something" to put in the paper/on the news. If police don't make a statement, they will run around and interview people based on rumors, and rumors of rumors, or just statements by uninvolved citizens; can get quite ridiculous. But they are doing what their bosses/editors have mandated-get something so we can scoop the other stations/newspaper so we can charge our commercial sponsors more for advertising spots.
The police chief/sheriff can put together a statement in the privacy and serenity of their office, have it reviewed by others for accuracy and issue the same statement to all the vulture-like media, and hopefully send them scurrying off in time for the broadcast, and then the police can get back to their work. Rarely is an investigation completed during the "hotspot" of time in which the media's short attention span requires.
If they have fielded more than 3 or 4 media calls, time to put together a statement. The larger police departments usually hire a PIO (public information officer), medium sized ones will designate some detective as PIO and in small departments it is usually the chief who will subsequently answer reporters inquiries or go on television.
This service is not required by law in our state, even though reporters will TRY and use the open records statutes to force someone to give on camera interview! How dumb do they think someone is who has reached the level of chief? But time and tide have shown that getting accurate information out is easier than putting out the fires of false stories that inevitably generate when they don't.
In summary, if they don't, the media will anyway. Do they want any degree of accuracy, or whatever the media confabulates?
Hope this helps.
2006-09-15 01:52:14 · answer #1 · answered by finaldx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're going to get a multitude of responses on this question because there really are a multitude of reasons.
The most basic circumstance is that a 'newsworthy' crime occurrred (or arrest made) and the police and press in this modern day have in most progressive cases, agreed that the public has a right to know, and in fact it often helps the police too that it goes out to the media. They're going to get it anyway, so best to make it accurate.
Many law enforcement agencies actually have a policy that dictates when to make issue a press release. It's often in the form of a one-page synopsis of the event and then faxed to the news agency. Police and prosecutor's offices frequently take the first pro-active step to issue the press release. If it's significant, a reporter (or even news team) will schedule a follow up interview and bring a cameraman along.
Big news serves the needs of the police and the public. Putting out for the public to know about, often brings more witnesses or victims forward too.
You will no doubt read many other answer variations, some quite sinnister, and maybe even true. Not all agencies have policy on it and some make judgment errors in how they handle the press.
2006-09-15 02:51:01 · answer #2 · answered by nothing 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Police are under pressure to say something, they cant solve anything straight away, but media and public demand some answers and thus to give the police time, they say what they think transpired.
We feel happy that the Police is fully involved in the situation and that they are doing all to complete the investigation.
2006-09-15 01:45:50 · answer #3 · answered by ashok kumar 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the police. This Feb. after 12 1/2 years they finally figured out who killed my Grandmother. They had already called for a press conf. before they even told us (the conf. was later that day). It was stupid to have the press conf. because they would not release the guys name or the fact that he had died 2 months before this. The only reason they had the conf. was to "head off leaks." In my county the Sheriff is elected, and ours just loves to be in front of the camera. He waited a week and had another conference to announce the man's name and his current status (dead).
So my point is, I guess it depends on the Sheriff.
2006-09-15 10:30:39 · answer #4 · answered by reevesfarm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋