It’s obvious that local news media
outlets – and the members of the public that read, listen to or watch them –
are no longer a major priority for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.
The release of a recent crime
statistics report by the RCIPS showing a drop in serious crime but an overall
rise of 10 per cent in crime was a prime example of an apparent laissez faire
attitude toward the press that has developed.
Last week’s press release included
a number of serious issues, as well as some big successes for the police
service, in terms of crime numbers. For example, an 86 per cent rise in
robberies over the first nine months of the year is something that probably
begs answering. A major drop in traffic-related offences also brings to mind
some interesting questions.
Time was when the RCIPS
commissioner and command staff members would address crime numbers on a
quarterly basis, as well as any other questions that the press might have on various
issues.
However, within the past year we
have seen repeated efforts to restrict the ability of the media to communicate
information to the public. Those efforts included a decision to no longer
provide 24-7 information to news outlets, a decision to no longer report the
names of suspects charged with crimes and an apparent move not to allow
questions about quarterly crime reports.
In fact, what the public may not
realise is that the release of the last two crime statistics reports from the
RCIPS came about only after the Caymanian Compass filed open records requests
for those figures. In each case, the RCIPS has stated that it planned to
release the information anyway – but our readers will perhaps forgive us for
wondering about those statements.
As we’ve said numerous times, the
RCIPS can and must transform into a modern police force that works with its
community. It must not be allowed to regress into a military occupation force
that is accountable to no one.
Free and frank communication with the
local press – and the public thereby – is one way to help that process along.
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What is so odd about this is the fact that it is exectly the opposite of public relations policies currently being adopted in the UK, where you can get information almost in real time from the internet about what the local force is up to.
I make no apologies for repeating this, Commissioner Stuart Kernohan recognised that the media are a vital part of law enforcement and made every effort to be publicly accountable. Since Operation Tempura there seems to have been a basic change in RCIPS policy and that is helping no one.
Like crime, police media relations is a 24/7 job and recognising that fact would go a long way to resolving some of the problems.
What happened to the plans to expand the media liason staff at RCIPS or keep information on the RCIPS website, which appears to be still stuck in 2009, updated?
Without wishing to undermine the professionalism of local reporters, the worst thing on this planet is for the public to get news about police activities from unverified sources and that’s exactly what happens when the RCIPS shut the media out as they appear to be doing now.
At the end of the day, reporters and editors have to make a decision to go with whatever information is available or wait for an official reaction and it’s very hard to blame anyone (as has been tried) for running stories sourced from unofficial sources if calls to the RCIPS remain unanswered as deadlines draw close.
Crime is on the uprise dramatically and it appears to many of us that there is no end to the upward spiral as the police seem to be having no affect on it. Robbery, stabbing, mugging are now almost daily events. The current system is broken, who can come up with an idea to fix it? To the MLA’s – it’s not working!!!! What are you doing?