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LANSING POLICE DEPARTMENT

Title:

PUBLIC ACCESS TO DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

Effective Date:

JUNE 1, 2005

Rescinds:

200-9 OCT. 2001

No:

200-9

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE

I.PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to establish guidelines for release and dissemination of publicinformation to print and broadcast news media.

II.STATEMENT OF POLICY

The Lansing Police Department (LPD), recognizes the public’s right to have access to public recordsand the news media’s right to report on matters of public interest. Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) governs access to/and release of public records and information. It is thepolicy of the LPD to maintain a cooperative approach to providing information on matters of publicconcern to the media and general public. Information will be released to the media withoutpartiality. Employees of the LPD shall not delay the release of information to favor any particularnews representative.

III.DEFINITIONS

Public Information

: Information that may be of interest to the general public regardingpolicy, procedures, or events involving the Department or other newsworthy information thatis not legally protected, which does not unduly interfere with the mission of the Department,does not infringe upon the rights of a defendant, or compromise the legitimate safety andprivacy interests of officers, victims, witnesses, others, or ongoing investigations.B.

News Media Representatives

: Those individuals who are directly employed by agenciesof the electronic or print media such as radio, television, and newspaper. Freelance workersin this field are to be regarded as other members of the general public unless otherwisedesignated by the Chief of Police.C.

Public Information Officer (PIO)

: The Department’s PIO serves as a central source of information for release by the Department and responds to requests for information by thenews media and community.

IV.PERSONNEL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA

A.When a request for information from the media is received by any employee of the LPD, theemployee will refer media questions to the PIO, if the PIO is or will be available within areasonable length of time. (See IV.,C., below for PIO office hours).

Page 2 of 8B.If the PIO is not available, the request will be referred to a supervisor. If the employee’ssupervisor will not be available within a reasonable length of time, the employee mayprovide general information to the media that is available to the employee within theguidelines outlined in this procedure

.NOTE:

Release of general information does not include release of restricted writtendocuments, audio tapes, or video tapes (see V.C.3., below).C.PIOInformation requests should be made to the PIO during normal PIO business hours Monday- Friday, 0900 to 1800 hours (excluding Holidays). The PIO is responsible for:1.Daily contact with the media regarding routine criminal and departmental matters;2.Arranging interviews and coordinating special requests from the media with otherDepartmental personnel;3.Scheduling press conferences with approval of the Chief of Police;4.Coordinating news media responses to events receiving widespread attention; and5.Providing entities designated by the Chief of Police to receive a copy of all pressreleases.D.PIO Callback If needed, PIO callback may be done to provide information services to the media in thefollowing types of situations:1.Homicides.2.Officer-involved shootings, serious accidents, and/or injuries.3.Life threatening injury/death of police personnel (shooting, accident, etc.).4.Armed robberies involving serious injury.5.Car chases involving serious injury and/or death.6.Kidnappings.7.Serious events such as hazardous material spills, bombings, train derailments, serialcrimes, etc.

Page 3 of 88.Capture of outstanding felony suspects involved in a serious crime when mediacooperation is required.9.Incidents when no other police employee will be available to handle a media inquiryon a major event within a reasonable length of time.10.Any event with significant media interest not directly related to policeresponsibilities.E.On-Duty Precinct Supervisor/Designee1.All supervisors have a responsibility to respond to media requests for informationregarding police related incidents. Supervisors/designee will release information tomembers of the news media in a timely manner when a request is made and suchinformation is authorized for release.2.As time permits at the scene of an incident or after an incident for which PIOcallback will not be done, the on-duty precinct supervisor/designee will handlegeneral media inquiries under the guidelines in this procedure.F.On-Duty Communications Center Supervisor/DesigneeCommunications Center Supervisors/designee may answer preliminary media inquiries priorto or in lieu of referral to a Precinct supervisor, the PIO, or the Lansing Fire Departmentin the following types of circumstances:1.Preliminary information on hazardous material spills, traffic congestion, roadclosings, etc..2.Arrests of fugitive felons.3.Preliminary information on property damage or personal injury accidents.4.Media staging point and scene commander

for tactical operations.

NOTE:

This does not include information concerning raids.5.Preliminary information on other types of criminal or noncriminal newsworthyevents for which the Communications Center Supervisor is familiar and comfortablereleasing information.G.Non-Supervisory Personnel