Public Information Officer Communication Plan

Growth brings about the need to make changes in the method of relaying information to the public. Working for a mid-sized metropolitan police agency, the researcher has been tasked with the responsibility of being the new public information officer and is required to submit a written communication plan to the Chief of Police. The changes will also include the addition of 25 patrol officers within two years and a new Federal Task Force which requires two new detectives. This communication plan gives details of the communication genre that will be used, the need to increase the use of social media, the timing of information relay and follow up, the stakeholders, the different internal and external communication, and the methods that will be used to deal with opposing taxpayers. The public information officer is committed to ensuring that public communication improves and unneeded interruptions disruptions are avoided.

Genre of Communication

To pass information to the public concerning the new changes and roles in the police department, a public announcement will initially be released. The announcement will contain detailed information about the agency, its achievements over the years, its vision and how the additional changes will help in the realization of the vision. The public information officer will also use the press conference to address the issues that are likely to be raised by both shareholders and taxpayers. The two are likely to raise their concerns because the changes will lead to an increase in the agency’s budget. Through the press conference, the public will be advised about the need and the functions of the new roles and how they can apply. By so doing, the public will feel involved in the decision-making process, hence supporting the idea. According to Moon (423), the failure to involve the public in the decision-making process leads to resistance.

The Need for Increased Social Media

Public safety is more sophisticated in today’s world, hence the need to involve communication methods that are faster, (Kapucu 208). Since law enforcement has evolved from wanted posters to social networks and patrol cars, the department will increase its use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. This will increase the effectiveness in most of the department’s operations, for instance, alerting the public about suspicious activities, crimes committed in their neighborhood, finding lost persons, among others, will be much faster, easier and cheaper.

The department will also use social media to leverage public support and broaden intelligence gathering. Most criminals post messages that can be used to deduce crime plots on social media, (Lowrey 97). In most cases, criminals adjust their use of social media after crimes as a way of protecting themselves. For instance, someone that used to post messages on social media now and then might reduce once he or she goes into hiding after a crime. The opposite can also take place. The agency will also use social media to pass information about its accomplishments to the public.

Most law enforcement agencies are using social media to communicate and interact with the public. According to Smith (133), increased communication helps in earning an individual’s or group’s trust. The agency will, therefore, earn the public’s trust through enhanced communication. The public will have a platform where it can air its views, comments and complains, whose response will be a click away. The public information officer will also use social media as a tool for marketing the department.

Research has confirmed that social media lets the public view police as real people, (Chermak et al. 207). It allows people to notice that once the police officers take their uniforms off, they are no different than anybody else. This can be a step forward towards increasing a positive police-public relationship. It is only when the public doesn’t fear police officers that it will be in a position to co-operate with them. They can also feel free to report wrongdoers and participate in investigations whenever they are required to. Getting information out there will be much simpler since people need to like or share a post with the department and the information will reach thousands of people within a short period.

How Far Ahead of these Positions Being Hired Would You Relay the Message?

Transparency is critical to developing positive police-public relationships. Whenever something takes place, the department is supposed to release as much information to the public as possible in the shortest time possible. By so doing, the public will not feel like it is being left out of decision making or feel as if the department is purposefully withholding information. It is therefore essential for the public information officer to give the details of the positions that are being hired immediately to the public. This will be released through the initial public announcement which will be followed by a series of press release to address the issues that may arise from the stakeholders and the public.

However, it will be important to stress to the public that the first information is preliminary and may change in future. The fact that the hiring process will go on for two years means that there might be changes along the way, as the strategists may find worth. It is always good to prepare the public and inform them the probability of such changes occurring. They should also be informed about any contingency plans that are put in place. The information will be used to present policing as a profession to the public. Just like the public would support the hiring of more teachers for improved quality education, which is the case for many other professionals, it should also support the recruitment of new law enforcement agents. The information will, therefore, be released early enough but contain the need for the hiring as well as the benefits that the operation will accrue to the public’s security.

The public will be notified before the hiring takes place to give room for application and as soon as recruitment takes place. The community will be given a chance to know those who will be hired as soon as they join the department. This is because most of police officer’s time is spent in addressing community requests and the actual “law enforcement” tasks comprise a small percentage of police officer’s time. It is essential to ensure that the public gets the information about the hiring process on time for it to understand that the process will be used to increase diversity in the department. Just like other professionals provide opportunities for professional development, the department will make it clear to the public that this is a chance for some of its members to develop their career path and serve the community.

Responding to Citizens Who Communicate Opposition of Additional Officers due Extra Taxes

The public information officer will hold press conferences to address citizens who might communicate opposition to hiring more officers, which will be a way of letting them understand the need for the department to hire. The citizens will be provided with the blueprint of the departments’ objectives that will be realized through hiring more officers. Also, the public information officer will involve the citizens in a discussion of how they feel the issue should be addressed. Most of them are likely to mention that some police officers should be moved from other parts of the country to join the department. However, they will be made to understand the fact that the department cannot pull law enforcement agents from safer areas into the department. This is because gang members and other criminals will figure that out and adjust their operations. They might even shift from the geographical location and go to areas that have less law enforcement officers’ workforce. This will only lead to more problems to the public. The public information officer will make such citizens understand that the hiring will increase the department’s resources and give it a better capacity to address crime problems.

The Stakeholders in this Public Notice

The public notice involves both internal and external stakeholders. The internal stakeholders include police officers, probation officers, judges, court personnel, lawyers, parole officers and correctional officers. On the other hand, external stakeholders include families, corporations, schools, victims of crimes and the general public.

The Differing Concerns of Internal Communication Versus External Communication in this Issue

As stated above, this issue has both internal and external stakeholders who should be addressed in different ways. Since internal communication entails passing the idea within the walls of the metropolitan department, the information will be constructed briefly and will be on-point. On the other hand, external stakeholders will receive extended information which will be persuasive. Both the public notices and press releases will contain long messages which will be formulated by the use of persuasive tactics. By so doing, the department will avoid a lot of questions from the public. It is important to note that transparency will characterize both internal and external communication.

Notification Follow Up

The public information officer will ensure regular follow up of the notification to ensure that all the stakeholders receive the information and no resistance or questions goes unnoticed. A monthly follow up will be conducted. It is clear that longer follows up times such as annual notifications will not address the public concerns sufficiently and would only lead to overloaded information releases. The stakeholders will, therefore, receive monthly updates as a way of ensuring that they have access to current information.

Conclusion

The new role of public information officer comes with heavier and newer responsibilities. To communicate with the public about the new changes in the agency, an initial public announcement will be released with details on the department’s accomplishments, its objectives and the required changes that need to be effected for the objectives to be realized. Press releases will also be used to address public questions as well as taxpayers’ opposition. Other the public announcements and press releases, the department will increase its use of social media. The notification will be followed up on a monthly basis, ensuring that the stakeholders have access to current information.

Works Cited

Chermak, Steven, and Alexander Weiss. ”Maintaining legitimacy using external communication strategies: An analysis of police-media relations.” Journal of criminal justice 33.5 (2005): 501-512.

Kapucu, Naim. ”Interagency communication networks during emergencies: Boundary spanners in multiagency coordination.” The American Review of Public Administration 36.2 (2006): 207-225.

Lowrey, Wilson, et al. ”Effective media communication of disasters: pressing problems and recommendations.” BMC Public Health 7.1 (2007): 97.

Moon, M. Jae. ”The evolution of e‐government among municipalities: rhetoric or reality?.” Public administration review 62.4 (2002): 424-433

Smith, Ronald D. Strategic planning for public relations. Routledge, 2013.