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Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Nalzaro: Police and the media
By Bobby Nalzaro
I was invited the other day by the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) to talk about good media relations before members of the Special Response Unit. Venue was the Regional Police Training Center in Barangay Apas, Cebu City.
This elite police unit, which has 42 members, is undergoing three months training on high-risk crisis situation and anti-terrorism. It is the counterpart of the Cebu City Police Office’s Special Weapons and Tactics.
To be armed with high-powered guns and sophisticated warfare gadgets, this police team will be deployed in strategic places in the province and will only be fielded during hostage crisis and other similar situations. It will assist other law enforcement units in securing delegates to the Asean Summit.
Supt. Emerson Digal, CPPO deputy director for operations, invited me to speak as part of the new thrust of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to know and understand the workings of media and to improve public relations in order to overcome negative perception towards the police organization.
In my talk, I told the participants that, for law enforcers, the best public relation is good performance and dedication and commitment to the service. No amount of propaganda can change the shattered image of the police organization if some of its members continue to commit abuses and shenanigans.
Corruption and the involvement of some policemen in well-organized crime syndicates doing such activities as drug trafficking, kidnapping and killing people for money hound the PNP. The police have also been tagged the number one human rights violator.
Well, for me, the police committing human rights violation is not unexpected because they are in the frontline on law enforcement. Mishandling of a suspect is sometimes viewed as human rights violation.
I reminded the participants that media plays a dual role in dealing with the government. We are an ally or partner, as government uses media to inform the public of its policies and accomplishments. Media supports programs beneficial to the public.
But media also plays an adversarial role because it is considered a watchdog against government abuses and excesses. In a sense, media and law enforcement have the same mission: public service. Thus, only those who commit wrongdoings have a negative impression on media.
During the interaction after my speech, the common complaint raised by policemen was biased reporting and commentaries against them. They noted that some radio commentators and columnists attack them without getting their side, and they use harsh words.
I acknowledged the validity of the complaints. But I told them that while media has the right to criticize them, it is always willing to listen to them.
It was, indeed, a fruitful interaction.
(bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com/ 0918-2198333)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 13, 2006 issue)
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