MESA, Arizona – Oct. 2, 2019 -- Mesa Community College Administration of Justice Studies faculty member Liz (Bootsie) Martínez R. is the author of three articles pertaining to police media relations appearing in law enforcement publications.
Effective Police-Media Relations is in the August 2019 International Association of Chiefs of Police's "Police Chief" magazine; Media Coverage: When It Doesn’t Work Well… and When It Does is published online at policechiefmagazine.org; and Who Causes Trouble? appears online at lawofficer.com.
Martínez, who spent a career as a journalist covering law enforcement and security issues and is a former senior investigator for a New York State agency, said the articles address how law enforcement agencies can work effectively with the media, as well as why it has become socially acceptable to bash the police. She cites the recent negative incidents of a customer who felt uncomfortable seeing six uniformed officers drinking coffee in a Starbucks in Tempe, as well as community members who repeatedly dumped buckets of water on police officers in New York City.
Law enforcement agencies can use social as well as mainstream media to communicate important and positive information to the community, and partner with media outlets as a way to combat negative feelings, according to Martínez.
She quotes Detective Greg Bacon of the Tempe Police Department’s Media Relations Unit and Sergeant Detective Squad Supervisor Bill Decker (Ret.) of the New York Police Department, among others.
“Negative messages and media stories are always quicker to gain the spotlight than the positive ones,” Martínez said. “An effective way to combat anti-police feeling is to work with media outlets, engage on social media and maintain good relationships with reporters.”
Martínez states that law enforcement agencies and the media have a symbiotic relationship, with both entities depending on each other.
“The key for law enforcement is to be genuine about what information is available and what cannot be released at that time,” Martínez said. “Police agencies need to develop positive relationships with reporters and interact with the media on a respectful, person-to-person basis.”
She adds, "At Mesa Community College, we teach our students to look at crime and officer-involved incidents from multiple points of view. Each participant in an incident sees it in his or her own way, but many things converge in an incident, and it's important to look at all sides to determine why and how police-community interactions play out."
# # #
Media contact: Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892 or dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized as an Aspen Prize Top 150 U.S. Community College and is known for service learning, career and technical programs, civic engagement and innovative approaches to education. The college serves as a resource for career readiness, transfer education, workforce development and lifelong learning. Host to more than 30,000 students annually, MCC offers degree and certificate programs online, at its two campuses, the Mesa Downtown Center and additional locations. Through the implementation of Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services, MCC is transforming ways it champions student success; college completion, university transfer and career attainment for all students. MCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution. The diverse student body includes more than 400 international students representing over 60 countries. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success, providing the education and training to empower MCC students to compete locally and globally. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, MCC is one of the 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. Learn more at mesacc.edu.
Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. MCCCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.