Police Community Relations Month

Police-media agree on crafting

common policies, more training

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 19 (PIA)—In non-ideal situation for police and media relations in Bohol, police and media leaders agree that leveling off and crafting policies which can act as rules for engagement between the two can further enhance the relationships leading to a better service delivery to the public.

The conclusion, which came about during the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) Media Relations, Media management and Newswriting Seminar Workshop held at the Ceremonial Hall of the new Capitol July 17.

Conducted in line with the Police Community Relations Month, the gathering also brought the need for continued media and police communications engagements and training, for better police media understanding of their tasks and common grounds.

Nearly 150 police officers comprised of 48 police chiefs, 48 police public information officers and police community affairs and relations officers joined the police–media relations training and workshop, to further improve police and media relations as partners in community service for information and anti-criminality.

Camp Dagohoy Police Community Affairs Development Unit chief, Police Lieutenant Colonel Norman Nuez, during the rationale wished for a more symbiotic relationship between the police and the media, as both have the same service goals of informing the public and protecting them from crimes and illegal activities.

The issue however rises when the police, who professes to serve and protect, are made media team’s the sources of news, and breaches in the use of privileged information.

Together with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Bohol Tri-Media Association president and officials and Capitol media consultant Michelle Celecio, the civilian team delved on media mandates and the responsibilities and challenges they encounter in the line if their work.

For the sake of information, some members of the media can be so zealous about their work and the intention to out-scoop the other competitors in the job, can squeeze out the information, including things that may also prejudice the process of investigation and imperil human lives, according to the PIA.

Capitol media consultant Celecio also highlighted the need for public information officer who shall be the unified voice of the police organization, so as to make sure everything said is consistent with the local police policies and thus imprve professionalism and the public image of the police organization.

BTMA president Ric Obedencio, who has been in media practice for decades, admit that the race to get the story out first has been a driving force that puts media in difficult circumstances, that they also become so focused on the task of disseminating information that individual rights sometimes can be unnecessarily trampled.

While the media has established protocols for seeking information from sources, it was widely accepted that in Bohol, much can still be sought from the media who have the need to update themselves with the applicable laws on hailing the freedom of information and the data privacy act, according to the PIA. (PIABohol)

MEDIA RELATIONS. BTMA President Ric Obedencio explains to the police officers the media dynamics in Bohol and the need for open lines between police and media to facilitate better information flow and understanding on their respective tasks. (PIABohol)

UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE. Until and unless proven beyond reasonable doubt of an imputed crime, by a competent court, suspects have to be considered innocent, so the need to cover their faces against possible stigma and tarnishing of name and honor. The ruling which was more honored in the breach then, could be a wake up call to police officers now. (PIABohol)