Bexar County Sheriff's Office Policy Manual PDF - Media Services

BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE POLICY MANUAL Original Date Effective Date Chapter Number April 15, 2014 November 21, 2020 Thirty-Nine Subject Office Media Services and Public Relat...

BEXAR COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE POLICY MANUAL Original Date Effective Date Chapter Number April 15, 2014 November 21, 2020 Thirty-Nine Subject Office Media Services and Public Relations All Sheriff’s Office Personnel References Enclosures NONE None Distribution Supersedes Reevaluation Date Pages All Sheriff’s Employees April 15, 2014 November, 2022 5 Approved by: Javier Salazar, Sheriff Bexar County 39.01 POLICY It is the policy of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) to establish and maintain an open and cooperative environment in which members of the media and public may obtain timely and accurate information on all matters of community interest in a manner that does not interfere with or jeopardize any investigation, or infringe on the rights of citizens, complainants, witnesses, and persons in custody. The intent of this policy is to allow deputies at the scene to manage the incident, while the public information officer and/or the on-scene supervisor (along with their other duties) assesses the necessary steps to be taken to manage the media. 39.02 PURPOSE This policy provides guidance regarding the official dissemination of information to the media and public. 39.03 DEFINITIONS NONE 39.04 PROCEDURES Providing the media with timely and accurate information is an important duty of any professional law enforcement organization but is secondary to protecting crime scenes and ensuring an investigation is not jeopardized. Media Services manages the media relations function for the BCSO. Media Services is the primary point of contact at all major incident scenes and is supported by deputies and supervisors as needed. A. On Scene 1. Deputies at crime scenes or other events are to manage the incident, while Media Services, in conjunction with the on-scene supervisor, assess the necessary steps to manage the media. 2. On scene supervisors shall adhere to the following guidelines in regarding media access to an incident: 1  a. Identify an appropriate staging area for the media to set up. The location of this area should be at a distance where deputies can do their jobs uninterrupted by the media but close enough for the media to do their jobs, which is to gather information for their stories. The media shall be allowed the same access that the general public has to roads, sidewalks, or other areas surrounding a crime scene and should not be placed in isolated areas solely because they are media members. b. Release factual information to the media, as authorized and listed under this chapter, as soon as practical. c. Protect the interest of owners or agents upon whose private property a crime scene exists. d. Ensure Media Services is contacted by phone and briefed. This can be done by either notifying dispatch or calling Media Services directly. After regular business hours, on weekends and holidays, supervisors should first contact the Public Safety Communications Unit, who will contact the on-call Public Information Officer (PIO). e. A supervisor delegated to disseminate information to the media shall first consult with the lead investigator or the investigator’s supervisor before any release, if applicable. B. Media Access To Incidents 1. On-scene personnel at an incident shall extend every reasonable courtesy to news media representatives. This may include closer access of media personnel and equipment than is available to the public, but only to the degree that it does not interfere with the investigation, compromise a crime scene, interfere with providing emergency services, or interfere with the movement of traffic. Media Services personnel will ultimately designate where a media briefing will be held. 2. Media access shall be restricted from any area or scene where there is a possibility that evidence may be damaged, altered, destroyed, prejudiced by being published, or portrayed in a media report. a. A person(s) shall not be photographed, telecasted, or interviewed, without obtaining proper authorization from appropriate Media Services personnel or members of the Sheriff’s Command Staff. b. Photographs, video stills, sketches, or mug shots may be released to the media in an effort to obtain identifying information for persons of interest, or persons suspected of or charged with committing a crime, by coordinating with the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). c. The media shall not be allowed access to any secured crime scene. d. Photographs or video may be taken from any public access or officially designated area. e. No employee of the media shall have any of their equipment seized or threatened with confiscation without due process of law. 2 C. Release Of Information 1. Media Services, or the ranking supervisor at an active scene (if Media Services is not available), has the responsibility to release to the media any factual preliminary information listed within the scope of this section: a. The type or nature of an event or incident; b. The location, date, time, injuries, damages, and a general description of how the incident occurred; c. The description of the suspect(s) and or suspect vehicle(s), if it is determined by the handling investigator, CID supervisor, or the CID Deputy Chief that the release will not jeopardize the investigation; d. A description of the property taken, if it is determined that the release will not jeopardize the investigation. 2. After magistration or following the issuance of an arrest warrant, the following information may be released: a. Name, age, and occupation of the suspected person; b. Time, date and place of arrest, and how the arrest was executed; c. The arresting agency; and d. Location of detention. D. Information Not Released It is the responsibility of Media Services or the on-scene ranking supervisor to ensure sensitive information is NOT released to the media or public. The following information is considered sensitive: 1. The name of any deceased or seriously injured person, until a next of kin has been notified; 2. The identity of a victim of a sexual offense or any identifiers; 3. The identity of a suspect; 4. The identity of a witness; 5. The identity of anyone under the age of 17 (juvenile); 6. Details of a statement, whether oral or written, given by a suspected person; 7. Statements from personnel containing personal beliefs, conjecture, or opinion regarding the facts of the case and/or investigation; 8. Photographs, video, or audio of any person or evidence that are taken for investigatory or criminal history record information in an ongoing investigation; 3  9. Any information, which, if prematurely released, may interfere with an investigation or apprehension of a suspect, to include any electronic transmission or social media transfer, such as: a. The nature of leads; b. Specifics of a modus operandi; c. Details of the crime known only to the suspect and law enforcement personnel; or d. Information that may cause a suspect to flee or more effectively avoid apprehension. 10. Any information that may be of evidentiary value in any criminal proceeding or ongoing investigation, except with the written consent from the Deputy Chief that oversees CID; or 11. Specific causes of death. E. General Media Release 1. Any employee of the Sheriff’s Office that is contacted by the media, regarding Sheriff’s Office information or activities, or potential news stories, must report the nature of the contact to Media Services immediately. 2. Information regarding internal investigations shall only be disseminated through Media Services or a representative designated by the Sheriff. 3. Statistical information requests shall be directed to Media Services. 4. If a member of the media or the public is not satisfied with a deputy's response to a request for non-releasable information, the deputy shall direct that person to the deputy's supervisor or Media Services. 5. Any request from the public or media for personal information on any employee of the Sheriff’s Office shall only be released by Media Services, as appropriate. 6. Requests for any other information shall be directed to Media Services. 7. Any supervisor may make Media Services aware of innovative community initiatives that may be of interest to the media. 8. An employee found to have disclosed information, confidential or otherwise, to anyone inside or outside of this agency without proper Command Staff authorization shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. 39.05 RESPONSIBILITIES OF MEDIA SERVICES PERSONNEL A. Coordinating with the media on behalf of the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Office. B. Preparing written news releases for media distribution. 4 C. Coordinating media interviews and appearances of Sheriff’s Office personnel. D. Marketing positive news stories affecting our community. E. Managing situations that might negatively affect the Sheriff’s Office. F. Maintaining a productive rapport with the media. G. Assisting all employees of the Sheriff’s Office with media inquiries. H. Monitor, update, and respond to messages on all agency social media accounts. 39.06 QUALITY CONTROL Employees who notice factual errors in media reports shall report those errors as soon as possible to Media Services. Media Services shall be responsible for correcting those errors when warranted. Employees should also contact Media Services if they believe a media report to be unfair or biased. Media Services shall address the issue with the appropriate media members. 5