PORTLAND AGREEMENT

April 30, 1999
		In February of 1998, the Portland Police Department and the city's news organizations signed an agreement about how live coverage of police emergencies should be handled. The agreement followed an incident in which law enforcement officials claimed live news coverage of a police involved shooting endangered officers at the scene.

Online NewsHour Special Report: Cops and Cameras April 27, 1999: Two senators discuss gun control April 22, 1999: The aftermath of the Colorado school shootings Oct. 15, 1998: The White House hosts a forum to discuss ways to reduce school violence. Aug. 11, 1998: How should the legal system handle kids who kill? May 22, 1998: An examination of whether there is a growing trend of school violence. March 26, 1998: A panel discussion on the growth of youth violence. March 25, 1998: A report on the school shooting in Jonesboro, AR. Browse Online NewsHour coverage of the media, youth, the law and education.   Radio and Televison News Directors Association Portland Police

NEWS COVERAGE OF EMERGENCY POLICE OPERATIONS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT GUIDELINES 1. The media will voluntarily restrict coverage of static situations involving hostages, armed barricaded assailants, and explosive devices as follows: a. Television stations will voluntarily not show live broadcast of Portland Police SERT officers, or officers identified by the PIO as supporting SERT operations, while the SERT team or support officers are involved in tactical maneuvers or tactical positions. Specifically, television stations will voluntarily not show live pictures as SERT officers, or support officers, deploy to a building or structure where any hostage or barricaded armed assailant is located. These voluntary restrictions will be in effect when it is reasonable to assume that the suspects(s) may have access to television coverage. b. News stations will not braoadcast live information regarding the tactical operations of the Portland Police hostage negotiatiing team while police are engaged in negotiations. c. News helicopters will stay at a distance of one mile, and minimum altitude of 1,000 feet, while covering these events. 2. The Portland Police Bureau and the Portland television stations will attempt to facilitate direct access to all newsrooms via a communications link known as the "Bat-Phone." This link would be used by the Portland Police Publice Information Officer (PIO) or emergency incident commander. This link would also provide for other daily Police/Media information applications. The television stations agree to take responsibility for putting this communications link in place. 3. The Portland Police Bureau will provide a Public Information Officer at a central location to provide timely information throughout an emergency incident. 4. In the interest of police/media cooperation the Portland Police Public Information Officer will provide a location for a pool camera as close as safely possible to allow taped coverage of the full emergency incident. 5. The Portland Police will set perimeters for television coverage as close as safely possible. Television station personnel will be allowed as close as any members of the public are allowed, and may move closer if safely possible as coordinated with the PIO. 6. Television stations may continue to gather videotape and other information, as they always have done, for later broadcast. This agreement places no restrictions on later broadcasts. 7. Occasionally, live television broadcasts on certain frequencies can interfere with equipment used by the Portland Police Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU) in situations involving explosive devices. To ensure that such interference does not occur, television technicians and police officials will jointly conduct tests to determine what causes this interference and will take steps to eliminate this situation during EDU operations. 8. The media and the Portland Police Bureau agree to meet, initially quarterly, to discuss pertinent issues and exchange information (this is in addition to the helicopter noise and EDU equipment tests). 9. To faciliatate media/police cooperation at the scene of emergency incidents the Portland Police Bureau agreees to provide news station personnel with additional information about the general nature of their tactical operations in emergency incidents involving hostages, barricaded armed assailants, or explosive devices. These informational meetings will be coordinated through the Public Information Officer.

REGIONS TOPICS RECENT PROGRAMS ABOUT US FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS / FEEDS:

Support the kind of journalism done by the NewsHour...Become a member of your local PBS station.
PBS Online Privacy Policy Copyright ©1996- MacNeil/Lehrer Productions. All Rights Reserved.