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    Medium For The Message

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    api-466553191
    The document proposes different mediums for addressing 3 incidents: 1) For an officer involved in a fistfight with a teenager, meet privately with the family, listen to concerns, and hold a press conference addressing the internal/criminal investigations and that the behavior is unacceptable. 2) For officers rescuing animals from a wildfire, share the positive bodycam footage on social media, allow the officers involved to speak to the media to build community relationships. 3) For a POA president's "fiery" speech, the department should remain neutral as a government entity and comment that it supports a quick resolution through appropriate negotiation channels.

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    Medium For The Message

    Uploaded by

    api-466553191
    202 views4 pages
    The document proposes different mediums for addressing 3 incidents: 1) For an officer involved in a fistfight with a teenager, meet privately with the family, listen to concerns, and hold a press conference addressing the internal/criminal investigations and that the behavior is unacceptable. 2) For officers rescuing animals from a wildfire, share the positive bodycam footage on social media, allow the officers involved to speak to the media to build community relationships. 3) For a POA president's "fiery" speech, the department should remain neutral as a government entity and comment that it supports a quick resolution through appropriate negotiation channels.

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    The document proposes different mediums for addressing 3 incidents: 1) For an officer involved in a fistfight with a teenager, meet privately with the family, listen to concerns, and hold a press conference addressing the internal/criminal investigations and that the behavior is unacceptable. 2) For officers rescuing animals from a wildfire, share the positive bodycam footage on social media, allow the officers involved to speak to the media to build community relationships. 3) For a POA president's "fiery" speech, the department should remain neutral as a government entity and comment that it supports a quick resolution through appropriate negotiation channels.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    202 views4 pages

    Medium For The Message

    Uploaded by

    api-466553191
    The document proposes different mediums for addressing 3 incidents: 1) For an officer involved in a fistfight with a teenager, meet privately with the family, listen to concerns, and hold a press conference addressing the internal/criminal investigations and that the behavior is unacceptable. 2) For officers rescuing animals from a wildfire, share the positive bodycam footage on social media, allow the officers involved to speak to the media to build community relationships. 3) For a POA president's "fiery" speech, the department should remain neutral as a government entity and comment that it supports a quick resolution through appropriate negotiation channels.

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    Medium for the Message

    Chief Adele Frese,

    I have analyzed the three incidents you have requested and developed mediums to deliver the

    message to our community and the media. These three incidents are vastly different from one

    another and some have sparked community outrage while others have gained nationwide

    applause. Below is an approach that I believe will help the agency address each situation for the

    best possible outcome.

    An officer gets into a fistfight with a teenager -

    This incident is currently under internal review to identify any policy violations and the

    Monterey County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a criminal investigation into the

    incident. This is an active investigation; therefore, and I am only able to review the call for

    service the officer responded to and the video from the officer’s body camera. The body

    language, verbal communication and physical contact with the teenager has sparked a lot of

    concern and outrage by our community members.

    I believe our department administrators should hold a private meeting with the parents of

    the teenager and inform them of both investigations being conducted and reassure them that the

    incident is not acceptable from our employees. We should then use multiple mediums to let the

    family vent their frustration, if any, and we should actively listen to their concerns. We must

    remain silent, listen to their words and let them have the platform for awhile. This allows them

    to “blow off steam and demonstrate[s] our patience, empathy and genuine desire to listen” (Fitch,

    2016). Being able to listen to their concerns can lead into another topic that might be the source
    of their frustration. Just as we want people to listen to our words, speeches and understand our

    position, it is equally as important that we return the favor and “listen to people with the same

    concern and repose that we expect from others, regardless of or personal feelings” (Fitch, 2016).

    Once we meet and listen to the family of the teenager, our department should hold a press

    conference addressing the situation. The speech should use careful, methodical and impactful

    words to address this issue. We should be aware of our response to ensure the “right impression,

    we must send the right message” (Fitch, 2016). The public should be aware that an internal and

    criminal investigation are being conducted, our leaders have met with the teenager’s family and

    that the behavior demonstrated in the video is unacceptable and if its determined a policy or

    criminal violations occurred then appropriate discipline will be sought. We should also

    emphasize on the importance of conducting a thorough investigation to satisfy all people

    involved in order to property address the community’s concern.

    Several officers rescue animals from a local animal shelter from a dangerous wildfire -

    The video/audio has been reviewed from multiple officers’ body cameras and the public release

    of the recordings has warmed the hearts of animal lovers across the world. The videos have been

    shared and talked about on multiple social media platforms and our department has received

    many letter of appreciation. This positive incident is an excellent time to paraphrase what had

    occurred in order to “clarify, summarize, or expand on the original message (Fitch, 2016). Allow

    the media and community ask questions and possibly have some (if not all) the officers involved

    answer these questions and take the spotlight. Allowing the officers involved to speak on their

    thoughts and feelings will allow the listeners to know who specifically saved the animals while

    simultaneously building on community relationships and helping humanize our officers.


    POA President gave a fiery speech at the local city council meeting -

    The police department should sustain from entering into the political arena as we should remain

    neutral. Since we are a government entity, it is our duty to perform our jobs without bias or

    political judgement, especially when it involves POA negotiations. The assumption is the media

    will pressure our administration into choosing which political group to support. We must

    provide a comment on the situation but it has to be neutral. It is important to be aware of our

    responses to questions and “controlling our verbal and nonverbal behaviors to ensure that we

    communicate appropriate levels of professionalism, interest and objectivity” (Fitch, 2016).

    The key is to remain objective while showing our strong interest in resolving the

    negotiations issue between the POA and city leaders. The police department has an inherent

    interest in seeing the issue reach a resolution to ensure moral remains high and officers do not

    seek employment elsewhere. The department should speak on its support for a quick and fair

    resolution to keep our officers satisfied and employed but should not provide opinions or

    thoughts on specifics on negotiable items.

    These three are very different topic of discussion with different emotions and public

    opinion. They must be approached as independent situations as they deserve different mediums

    of delivery. These suggested mediums are the best applicable ways to publicly address each

    situation while preserving the police department’s integrity and relationship with the community.
    Reference

    Fitch, B. (2016). Law Enforcement Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Management.

    Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage Production.

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