Law Enforcement Administration

Police-Media Relations

Make the Connection: Media Relations and a Healthy Public Image

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Plano, Texas, USA

Past Event

21 Hours TCOLE Credit

ILEA Headquarters
at The Center for American and International Law
5201 Democracy Drive
Plano, Texas 75024

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Registrar: +1.972.244.3404
ILEA: +1.972.244.3430 
Fax: +1.972.244.3431
E-Mail: ilea@cailaw.org

Overview

Participants will gain insight into the print and broadcast media - who they are and why they do things the way they do. In addition, class members will develop skills in building trust with outside information groups, preparing and presenting your message, crisis management and organizing the functions of a public information office. Finally, this course will help executives and spokespersons communicate more effectively with their many publics, through both traditional and social media formats.

This course will include an in-depth evaluation to provide managers with the skills to deal with changing news media in an electronic age. There will be opportunities for on-camera interviews and guidance on improving your presentations.

Tuition

Tuition includes all instruction and handouts. Lodging and meals are excluded.

  • $450 ILEA Member
  • $500 Non-member

Topics

  • Media mistakes made by police agencies
  • CALEA Community Relations
  • PR during hostage-taking and terrorist incidents
  • Issuing news releases; planning news conferences
  • Pitching the media
  • Marketing your agency
  • Law enforcement ethics in a media-saturated society
  • Closing air space during critical incidents
  • News events checklists
  • Managing an interview

Course Objectives

At the completion of this course participants will be able to:

  • Discuss the nature and purpose of Police Media Relations.
  • Identify the concepts concerning media influence on policing.
  • Apply planning strategies of police/media contact.
  • Apply the principles of the 5 step interview.
  • Apply the principles at work in managing media crises, press conferences, adversarial interviews and incorporating social media into your messaging.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for managers and executives as well as public information officers in law enforcement and emergency service agencies.

Faculty

Lt. Christopher Cook
Arlington Police Dept.
Arlington, TX

Christopher Cook is an award-winning speaker and subject matter expert in the field of social media and media relations for public safety. As a Lieutenant for the Arlington Police Department, he oversees the public information office and has led the department’s public and media relations strategies since 2011.  

Lt. Cook serves as Vice President of the National Information Officers Association; Regional Vice Chair for the IACP – PIO Section and chair of the Major Cities Chiefs Association – PIO Committee. 

Lt. Cook was awarded the 2018 Leadership in Public Information Management Award from the IACP. He has also received the 2013 Connected COPS Social Media Leadership Award for his distinguished and exemplary leadership in the use of social media. Under Lt. Cook’s leadership, the department received the Most Innovative Use of Social Media for three consecutive years (2012, 2013, & 2014) by the Texas Center for Digital Government. 

Lt. Cook holds a Master of Arts in Criminology & Criminal Justice from the University of Texas and is currently a Ph.D. student with Tarleton State University seeking a doctoral degree in Criminology.

Schedule

Daily 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

TCOLE Credit

Law enforcement personnel attending this course are eligible for eight (21) hours of Texas Commission on Law Enforcement  (TCOLE) credit.

Course Cancellation Policy

Occasionally, the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA) may be forced to cancel a scheduled program. Whenever possible, the decision to cancel is made at least fourteen days prior to the start of the program, and registered participants are notified once that decision has been made. If the distance to the training site requires that you make airline and/or hotel reservations, please contact ILEA (+1.972.244.3430) to inquire about the status of any program before making travel arrangements. While paid registrations in cancelled courses will be refunded in full, ILEA will not be responsible for monetary loss due to cancellations or changes in airline or hotel reservations.

Eligibility Policy

The Institute for Law Enforcement Administration provides  professional education and technical support to the law enforcement community. 

A registrant in an ILEA program must be a sworn officer; a civilian employee of a law enforcement department; or an employee of a municipal, county or state agency.

Anyone interested in attending an ILEA program who does not meet the above standard requirements will need to request advance approval. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Privacy Policy

We do not sell or rent information to any outside parties. By providing your information, you will receive postal and electronic communications from the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration (ILEA) of The Center for American and International Law (CAIL) in accordance with CAIL's Privacy Policy. If we co-sponsor a program with another organization, information may be shared between the parties. All such co-sponsors will be identified on the event details and registration page. At any point, you can opt-out or unsubscribe by selecting either link at the bottom of each email or call us at 972.244.3400.

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