Policy Text
Number:
Winter Garden
10
Police Department
Rescinds:
P/P 1985-44
General Order
SUBJECT: Public Information Officer/ Media Relations
EFFECTIVE: 02/19/2024
REVISED:
Table of Contents:
10.1 Purpose
10.2 Scope
10.3 General
10.4 Definitions
10.5 News Release Guidelines
10.6 Media Access to Photographs
10.7 Releasing Names of Persons Killed or Injured
10.8 Permitting News Media onto a Scene
10.9 Requests for Information
10.1 PURPOSE
The Winter Garden Police Department is committed to keeping its communities and the
news media aware of events with which it is involved, but also recognizes that certain
information must be withheld to protect the constitutional rights of victims and suspects and
to avoid interfering with an investigation.
10.2 SCOPE
This directive describes procedures for interpreting and controlling confidential information
that may only be released upon the express authority.
It is Department policy that the primary responsibility for releasing information to the public
and news media is that of the Chief, who may appoint an employee as Public Information
Officer to provide this service. Duties of the public information function include:
A. Assisting news personnel at incident scenes and in covering news stories,
B. Being available for on-call responses to the news media,
C. Preparing and distributing press releases,
D. Arranging for and assisting at news conferences,
E. Coordinating and authorizing the release of information about victims, witnesses and
suspects,
F. Assisting in crisis situations within the agency,
General Order 10
Public Information Officer/Media Relations
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