Daily Times

We live in a media world where mass media are the primary image builders in contemporary society. Media are a source of political and social power. Police are a service and currently police spend more than half of their time in community service activities. Whereas, the media play an essential role in promoting images of policing and police work. Internationally, public information activities are viewed today as integral to police operations. Police emphasize on community relations and in this regard, they have instituted communications to inform the public about police activities. Police are maintaining media relations units and offices. These officers and units are staffed with public relation officers (PROs) who are communicating and engaging with a variety of audiences.

Media management units are established within police departments worldwide and particularly in Pakistan for handling communication with news media organizations. Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in many countries including Australia, New Zealand, United States of America, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka and India have shifted away from traditional public relation officers and moved toward a public relation team to help them build a positive image. In New Zealand, police media centers (PMCs) are established which operates 24/7; the center is staffed by members of police who are providing information related to issues. Similarly, in Australia, New South Wales (NSW) Police has a public affairs branch which is responsible for management of media and issues. They have set up police media units (PMUs). Such units are dealing with the media. Police media units are staffed with a dedicated media team including police officers, experienced journalists and public relation officers. They are handling local and international media and it is noted that before recruitment in such units, every officer is required to get media training, public relations, communications and police operations. The police media unit is headed by the Superintendent. In Sri Lanka, recently police constituted the police media unit (PMU); the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has appointed superintendent of police as a spokesperson on the recommendation of National Police Commission. On the other hand, Punjab Police of India runs different media platforms. These media platforms are under the supervision of Inspector General of Police (IGP) rank officer who is engaging the public.

In Pakistan, on a daily basis, media organizations are portraying a false image of the police among the masses. Particularly, Police also face problems of negative coverage which are not a new thing in the country. There are more fake journalists and less real journalists in the media and similarly police cannot differentiate between them. Sensational news against police is always on the rise to get higher ratings but police have no centralized media management to counter such news. A highly trained public relations department can help police in the management of positive police image. Recently, Punjab Police has made a request to the provincial government for the establishment of a “Punjab Police Information office” under the command of a higher rank officer for more effective communication.

With the aim of better relations with public and media to provide up to date and authentic news, there is dire need of establishment of Police Service Public Relations in Pakistan as Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) which is very effective

With the aim of better relations with public and media to provide up to date and authentic news, there is dire need of establishment of Police Service Public Relations in Pakistan as Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) which is very effective. Police Service Public Relations (PSPR) should be set up by the federal government and it operates under the supervision of the National Police Bureau (NPB). This will help to maintain liaison with electronic and print media for dissemination of information about police activities across the country. The PSPR will build up a positive image of police through different ways; make effective coordination among all the provincial police and increase management efficiency of Police. After establishing a centralized media management office of Police Service Public Relations in the federal, there should be set up offices in all the provinces including Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and Azad & Jammu Kashmir (AJ&K). Police Service Public Relations should be headed by Additional Inspector General of Police rank officer as spokesperson of police across the country and he should hold press conferences, issue news related to officers, produce audio as well as video material and disseminate misinformation about police activities across the country. Moreover, police service public relation offices should compile a list of all fake journalists and share with all police offices at provincial, regional and district level. The PSPR should also send legal notices to those television channels that broadcast comedy programs against the police. The PSPR should provide services 24/7 and should be staffed by police officers of all ranks across the provinces.

In the age of information and technology, police officials are using different social media networks to disseminate information to the public and obtain information. Public support is important to the police in maintaining a positive image. Police officials must consider that their own actions are reported to the public through social media and mainstream media. The provincial offices of PSPR should be headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police or Senior Superintendent of Police rank officers as media cells are run by such rank of officers. The abovementioned constructive idea about Police Service Public Relations is suggested by “Pakistan Police Reforms Think Tank (Internet based)” in terms of real police reforms in Pakistan. Considerably, the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and National Police Bureau (NPB) should start work on this worthy pilot project without taking more time. In this regard, police leadership should be consulted on a serious note for the betterment of the police. The establishment of centralized media management of police would be considered as a game-changing step towards unity and a unified system. SalamPolice!

The writer works voluntarily on Police Reforms in Pakistan & is a member of Pakistan Police Reforms Think Tank (Internet Based)