Policy Text
12-01
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE
B. Availability of the PIO: 2. The press release will be used to provide
information regarding major events
1. Members of the department receiving within the department’s service area, as well
inquiries or requests about an as events that may affect residents of the
incident or an operational activity will refer City of Florida City.
the media representative to the PIO or his
designee 3. The PIO, or the Chief’s assigned
designee, shall be the only members
2. It shall be the responsibility of the shift releasing information to the media.
supervisor to notify the PIO of incidents [CFA28.02(b)]
where the media may be present.
a. The press release may be completed by
3. When necessary it will be the any employee having responsibility for a
responsibility of the Florida City Police particular event or program, but must have
Dispatcher on duty will be advised to the approval of the Chief of Police prior to
contact the dissemination.
PIO and the Chief of Police when needed
Contact numbers for the PIO will be kept b. Shift supervisors are authorized to release
current in the Florida City Police basic information on incidents occurring
Communications Center. during their tour of duty when the presence
of the PIO is not necessary. Information
C. Press Releases (Preparation and released shall be limited to the basic facts of
Distribution): the incident known to the shift supervisor.
These facts are subject to the guidelines
1. The PIO will determine the content of outlined in this directive. Requests for
press releases that will be provided to the further information should be referred to the
news media as they are approved and PIO.
become available. [CFA28.02(a)]
c. Members who are asked for information
Once it is determined that information is to beyond their range of knowledge or who
be released, it will be made available to all doubt the accuracy of their information
media sources on an equal basis. should so indicate and refer the media to the
[CFA28.01(c)] PIO.
Under no circumstances will such 4. A copy of the completed press release
information be withheld, delayed or will be directed to the Chief of Police
selectively released to favor any particular by the PIO or his designee prior to its
news media representative or agency. dissemination
Specific inquiries made independently by
media representatives may, however, be
honored at the time of inquiry.
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12-01
ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE
D. News Conferences: c. The name and address of a deceased
individual will not be released until next of
1. Press releases will be issued, and press kin has been notified. When all efforts to
conferences called when necessitated locate the next of kin have failed, the Chief
by specific occurrences or at the discretion of Police may authorize the release of
of the Chief of Police.[CFA28.01(d)] information regarding the deceased.
a. Information regarding civil litigation d. No information that reveals personal
against the department or its members shall assets of a victim of a crime, other than
be released only by the Chief of Police or property stolen or destroyed during the
his designee. commission of the crime, will be released.
Prior to releasing information regarding
b. Information concerning changes in property taken in a crime, consideration will
departmental policy shall be released only be given to whether or not such release
by the Chief of Police or his designee. might jeopardize the investigation.
2. The PIO will be responsible for e. No information that could be used to
maintaining a filing system of all reveal the identity of a confidential
information disseminated to the media. informant will be released.
E. Coordinating and authorizing the f. All information concerning surveillance
release of information about victims, techniques, procedures, or personnel will
witnesses and suspects: remain confidential.
1. Information released to media: g. No information that could be used to
reveal the identity of an undercover person
The name of a victim in an incident may be in any criminal justice agency will be
released, with the following exceptions: released.
[CFA28.01(e)]
h. The following information about any
a. All records concerning reports of child officer will NOT be released:
abuse or neglect and all records generated as
a result of such reports shall be confidential. Home address, telephone number,
photographs, spouse’s name, name or