To provide guidelines for the release of information to the news media.
To provide guidance concerning the submission of news articles to General Headquarters.
Communicating with the public through the news media is essential to the Division’s mission. Positive news media relations is critical to the success of many of our goals and objectives. The Division is committed to the public information function locally, statewide, and nationally. Traffic safety educational and operational successes can be attributed in part to the mutually beneficial relationship developed and maintained with the news media.
Statewide news media/public information campaigns will be coordinated through the Public Affairs Unit in the Office of Planning and Information Services. The ultimate responsibility for public information and news media relations at the local level rests with the post commander. No employee of the Division shall represent himself/herself as a spokesperson or representative of the Division to the news media in any manner not outlined in this policy.
Employees shall not use their identification, affiliation, equipment, or other reference to the Division in support of, or in opposition to, any personal or public issue unless authorized in advance by a district or section level supervisor.
A. DEFINITIONS
1. News Media - A general term for organizations that gather and report news and information using any media.
2. Reporter - A person who is employed full-time or part-time by a news organization for the purpose of gathering and reporting news and information.
3. Media Release - Also referred to as a "news release" or "press release," a media release is a written document that provides information to the news media for dissemination to the general public.
4. Media Advisory - A written document designed to alert the news media to an event.
5. Interview - A conversation or correspondence between a reporter and an information source.
6. News Conference - An organized briefing and/or discussion held by an information source and several reporters.
B. NEWS MEDIA INTERVIEWS/MEDIA RELEASES/MEDIA ADVISORIES
1. Information regarding traffic crashes, traffic incidents, or other incidents occurring within the scope of the Division’s mission, may be provided by a Division employee (or those who are designated by a supervisor) with direct knowledge of the investigation or incident.
2. Information regarding local safety education initiatives may be provided by a Division employee with direct knowledge of the initiative and approval from the district, section, post commander, or designee.
3. Feature story interviews, news media ride-a-longs, or representing the Division to the news media will occur only after approval by applicable district/section or post commander (see Procedure HP-73A).
a. Interviews of this type present an excellent opportunity to promote highway safety and the Division. However, risk is inherent with opportunity. Therefore, advance preparation should precede any interview. Pre-interview discussions (which can also potentially be used in the story) with the reporter should focus on the scope, nature, and limitations of the interview. The interview should be limited to the employee’s direct knowledge and scope of involvement.
b. Employees who conduct interviews should be neat, clean, well-groomed, and in the uniform of the day and conduct themselves in a professional manner. No employee will represent the Division in any manner which is embarrassing to the officer or Division.
4. Interviews, media releases, and advisories regarding criminal, or administrative investigations will only be conducted by the applicable district or section commander or designee, post commander or designee, or GHQ Public Affairs Unit staff.
5. Policy issue interviews, media releases, and advisories that affect the entire Division will be provided only by:
a. The Superintendent or his/her designee.
b. District/Section command staff or post commander, if approved by the district staff.
c. GHQ Public Affairs Unit staff.6. Critical incidents with potential national, statewide, or regional news media interest will be provided only by:
a. The Superintendent or his/her designee.
b. The Public Affairs Unit, when directed by the on-scene commander.
C. NEWS CONFERENCES
1. To be arranged with the approval of district staff and/or the Public Affairs Unit.
D. REPORTING MEDIA INFORMATION
1. Post commanders have a responsibility to submit newspaper releases and other information to General Headquarters through proper channels. The items are to be related to significant events within their respective command areas. The items are to be forwarded to the Public Affairs Unit in one of two ways:
a. by administrative messaging and reporting at ADPAU by scanning the document and attaching to the administrative message.
b. by fax directed to the Public Affairs Unit Commander, (614) 752-8410.
2. Submit the following information from the news media:
a. Releases on items of interest affecting the Division.
b. Other items of interest at the discretion of the post or district commander.
3. Do not submit the following:
a. Releases of arrests, court convictions, or crashes unless they are of an unusual nature.
b. Media releases from a neighboring post’s jurisdiction. Each post has an area of responsibility for release of information to its news media. This same area of responsibility should govern submission of news releases obtained from the media.
c. Post and district commanders should coordinate their submissions to prevent a duplication of effort.
Standard References
41.2.05 46.1.04 54.1.01