TAMPA BAY AGREEMENT

April 30, 1999
		The following is the full text of an agreement between the Tampa Bay Police Department and the media regarding live coverage of police emergencies.

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. Tampa Bay Police

Comparative Agreement Regarding News Coverage of Emergency Law Enforcement Operations Introduction: In the interest of serving the citizens of the Greater Tampa Bay area, this voluntary agreement seeks to establish guidelines mutually agreeable to the various media and to law enforcement regarding live news coverage of certain emergency events, such as armed barricaded suspects, hostage situations and explosives. The goal is to meet the needs of the media while at the same time ensuring officer and community safety in such situations. This agreement is not binding, but rather relies upon the integrity of all parties to maintain its effectiveness. It is not all inclusive but may be revised by mutual assent as unforeseen issues arise. Guidelines: I . The media will voluntarily restrict live coverage of situations involving armed barricaded suspects, hostages, threatened suicides, and explosive devices as follows: A. The media will not voluntarily show or describe the locations or actions of law enforcement personnel involved in tactical operations while the incident is unresolved. Specifically, the media will not broadcast, or otherwise disseminate, pictures nor descriptions of tactical officers, or their actions, or of personnel supporting tactical officers, at any time prior to the resolution of the incident. B. The media will not disseminate live information regarding the tactical operations of the law enforcement negotiators while negotiations are underway, nor hinder those negotiators in their efforts to resolve the incident. This would include, for example, direct contacts initiated by the media to the hostage taker or barricaded individual. Similarly the media agrees to refrain from identifying the hostages by name or employment for the duration of the incident as such information may aid the hostage taker and hamper negotiations. C. News helicopters will stay at a minimum distance of one mile from the incident site, with a minimum altitude of 1000 feet, in order to minimize interference with law enforcement communications. These figures may be modified by law enforcement at the time of an incident based on the specific threat presented. D. This agreement places no restrictions on broadcasting or publishing any materials after the incident has been resolved, The medai may gather video, and other materials, as they have always done, for later dissemination. II. The law enforcement agency(ies) involved will provide a Public Information Officer (PIO) at a central location to provide timely information throughout the emergency. III. In the interest of providing the media with as much assistance as possible, the PIO will, when practical, provide a location for a pool camera as close as safely possible to allow taped coverage of the incident. Law enforcement will set the perimeter for general media coverage as close as is safe. The media will be allowed as close as members of the public are permitted, and closer if determined to be safe by law enforcement. IV. Occasionally, live broadcasts on certain frequencies can interfere with equipment used in situations involving explosive devices. The media agree to restrict the use of frequencies so identified in the are of such equipment. V. Parties to this agreement will agree to meet, initially quarterly, to discuss pertinent issues and exchange information. As part of these meetings, in an effort to promote on-scene cooperation, law enforcement will provide to the media information regarding the general nature of tactical operations in emergency incidents such as those involving armed barricaded suspects, hostages, suicides, and explosive devices. It is the intention of all parties that this increased knowledge will result in greater understanding of the issues facing both the media and law enforcement, and thus better serve the public interest.

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.