Policy Text
News Media Relations
Introduction
A well informed, supportive, and cooperative public is essential to success ful police service.
Public trust and confidence in law enforcement are dependent upon open and honest
communication with the cit izenry. Such communication is most effectively and efficiently
achieved through the news media. The Founding Fathers considered the media function so
important that they guaranteed the freedom of the press in the Bill of Rights.
Reports of police activity by newspapers, radio, and television do more to influence public opinion
about the Department than the Department's own public -relations efforts. This statement is not
meant to m inimize the Department's public relations efforts; it speaks to the persuasiv e power of
the media.
Department policy requires officers to make every reasonable effort to help reporters cover the
news. Media representatives shall be treated in a fair and impartial manner.
During an event of major significance to the press, the Dep artment may conduct press rela tions
through a field command post or through briefings and press releases provided by the Public
Information Officer (PIO).
At crime and disaster scenes that are of less than major significance to the press, members of the
news media communicate with the PIO, commanders, field supervisors, and/or assigned
investigators.
Press Identification Card
Oakland Municipal Code (OMC ) Section 5 .70.010, Admittance of Press within Police
Lines -Issuance of Press Cards, authorizes the Ch ief of Police to issue press cards to:
...newsgatherers, reporters, and photographers in the actual bona fide employment of a
newspaper...or...press association or radio or television station ...for the purpose of
securing their admittance within all polic e lines in the City of Oakland.
Local media representatives carry OPD press cards (see Figure 1), but press credentials issued by
other law enforcement agencies or by a newspaper, magazine, television, or radio station should
also be recognized.
The Chie f of Police is also authorized to issue temporary press cards and press parking passes.
TRAINING BULLETIN
Evaluation Coordinator: Assistant Chief
Automatic Revision Cycle: 3 Years
“Department Training Bulletins shall be used to advise members of current police techniques and
procedures and shall constitute official policy.”
Index Numb er: VIII-J
Alpha Index: News -Media Relations Date of Issue
21 Feb 14
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New Media Relations , Index Number VIII-J
Temporary press cards are not to be used on routine or general assignments and are sub ject to
renewal every ninety days. Temporary press cards are identical to the y early press cards except
they do not have a person’s photograph on the card, “temporary” replaces the person’s name and
“media pass” replaces the press organization.
Figure 1 (Press Card – Front and Back )
Card Holder
Photograph
Card Holder Name
Press Organization
Name
Year card expires
If an officer doubts the validity of a media representative's credentials, the officer refers the
representative to his o r her on -scene commander.
A press parking pass (see Figure 2) is a pass issued by the Oakland Police Department that , when
displayed, allows a member of the media to park in certain parking zones while covering a news
event . During an emergency condition and the first hour immediately following the end of an
emergency condition , a press parking pass allows press vehicles to park in a green zone , metered
parking space or posted parking zone in excess of the time allowed by ordinance, provided the
vehicle i s parked within 1,000 feet of the emergency condition . An “emergency condition” means
any incident which has resulted in, or is likely to imminently result in, the dispatch of police or
fire personnel (OMC Section 10.32.180).
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21 Feb 14 ● Oakland Police Department
A press parking pass does no t exempt a member of the media from other parking restrictions such
as red zones, hydrants, crosswalks, bus zones, disabled parking zones, transit line s and other tow-
away zones.
Figure 2 (Press Parking Pass front and back)
Press Parking Pass should be displayed in a visible position inside the press vehicle.
Press Access to the Scene of a Disaster
At a disaster scene, an officer has the authority to restrict the access of reporters only when their
presence would impede rescue efforts.
Penal Code (PC) Section 402 , Interference with Personnel at the Scene of an Emergency, gives
media representatives , for whom " it is part of the duties of that person's employment to view the
scene or activities ", access to the scene of an emergency .
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New Media Relations , Index Number VIII-J
Section 402 (a) PC
Every person who goes to the scene of an emergency , or stops at the scene of an emergency
(unless it is part of the duties of that person's employment to view that scene or activities ), for the
purpose of viewing the scene or the activit ies of :
police officers ;
firefighters ;
emergency medical ;
other emergency personnel ; or
military personnel
AND thereby impedes police officers , firefighters, emergency medical, other emergency personnel
or military personnel in the performance of the ir duties in coping with the emergency is guilty of a
misdemeanor.
For the purposes of section 402 PC an “emergency ” is defined in sub -section (c) as:
An emergency includes a condition or situation involving :
injury to per sons;
damage to property ; or
peril to the safety of persons or property
Which results from a