This content requires the Adobe Flash Player.
Get Flash
ACPO comment on Interim Guidance for Media Relationships
Commenting on the interim guidance ACPO lead for media engagement Chief Constable Andy Trotter said:
“A successful working relationship between the Police Service and the media is vital. Working with the media to engage the public – either to help solve crimes or
demonstrate police work - is now part of our everyday business in policing.
“The media has a significant role in holding policing to account and in informing the public about the work of the police service. There is an obligation on the police service to engage with the public, both to communicate what the police are trying to do strategically and, at an operational level, to engage the public in fighting crime, such as to make appeals for information and for the identification of suspects and witnesses.
“The Interim Guidance on Relationships with the Media published today aims to provide some ‘common sense’ principles that officers and staff can follow. It aims to encourage openness, promote best practice and ensure consistency across forces.”
Notes to Editors
These guidelines should be considered by forces alongside their own media and communications policies. They support existing ACPO guidance including the ACPO Communications Advisory Group (2010) guidelines. They will be reviewed in the light of findings from the Leveson Inquiry and following the election of Police and Crime Commissioners in November 2012.
The full document can be found here:
http://www.acpo.police.uk/documents/reports/2012/201204IntGuiMediaRels.pdf
For more information contact
The ACPO Press Office can be contacted via 020 7084 8946/47/48 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours).
The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and partner agencies, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, co-ordinates the strategic policing response.
ACPO’s 311 members consist of 223 chief police officers from the home forces of assistant chief constable rank (commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, plus 60 senior police staff members from the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Non home forces such as British Transport Police have 25 chief police officer members and there are three members from the Service Police.