Establishing the mutual benefits of Police-Media cooperation|
The mutual benefits of Media-Police cooperation |
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The Police Training School and the Police Public Relations Branch (PPRB) recently organised a series of seminars for frontline Police officers to explain the role of the media and its legitimate objectives, and why members of the Force should give maximum cooperation to reporters and photographers sent to cover an incident.
Two experienced journalists, Mr Kun Ching-chung, a Chief News Editor, and Miss Yeung Kit-sum, a seasoned reporter specialised in covering NGO news, were invited to speak at the inaugural seminar. The guest speakers, apart from briefing participants on media objectives and their modus operandi, also gave them advice on how to avoid being trapped into making indiscreet or inappropriate comments when speaking to the media. The seminar, which was both informative and interesting, will help frontline officers to understand the difficulties faced by members of the media and what the media expected of them when covering incidents or giving interviews. As part of the Force strategy to further improve Police-media relations, launched earlier this year, the inaugural seminar was a resounding success, according to Mr Chan Wan-lung, Superintendent, Continuation and Promotion Training Division. The overall consensus among guest speakers and participants was that it had been a valuable and eye-opening meeting between the Police and members of the media. The programme has the full support of many experienced journalists from newspapers, televisions, radios, and journalist associations, who have agreed to share their experience in future seminars.
"Through cross-fertilisation, we are optimistic that our existing constructive working relationship with the media can be further enhanced as the guest speakers will also gain a better understanding of the problems being faced by frontline officers dealing with an incident," said PPRB Chief Superintendent, Mr Tang How-kong.
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"Sir, could you give us a brief or an initial report on the case?"
That all-too-familiar question is usually put to frontline officers by reporters and photographers just as they arrive, more or less simultaneously, with the officers sent to the scene of an incident. How can the officers make any sensible reply to that question at that time?
Sometimes clashes between police and the media arise when photographers, trying to get into the best position to take their shots, "obstruct" or "hinder" officers at the scene who are trying to handle the situation confronting them. In the past, many frontline Police officers found it difficult to work with reporters and photographers because they would not 'cooperate' at the scene of an incident. But, misunderstandings of this nature are on their way out! An evaluation of a recent workshop on "how to deal with media" showed that most of the frontline officers who participated confirmed that the workshop had helped them to understand the legitimate role of the media in monitoring the Force, and how the media operate. |
Establishing the mutual benefits of Police-Media cooperation