Admin 13 Communications Office

Question 1

What is Admin 13?

Answer 1

Communications Office

Question 2

Public information is defined as?

Answer 2

1) is not confidential under state or federal law, (2) does not unduly interfere with the mission of the department, (3) does not infringe upon the rights of a defendant (4) does not compromise the legitimate safety and privacy interests of officers, victims, witnesses or others, (5) and does not interfere with and/or jeopardize the integrity of an active investigation

Question 3

Who are “Bona Fide” Media Representatives?

Answer 3

Those individuals who are directly employed by media organizations that print, publish or broadcast at least quarterly.

Question 4

The Communications Office is comprised of?

Answer 4

The Communications Coordinator and one or more Public Information Officers and one or more adjunct Public Information who are assigned elsewhere in the department.

Question 5

The communications coordinator manages what?

Answer 5

Manages internal and external communications on behalf of the Chief of Police.

Question 6

The public information officer does what?

Answer 6

Responsible for programs and information gathering directly related to public relations.

Question 7

Each officer has the ultimate responsibility for all public comments, oral or written, concerning the Chattanooga Police Department. True or False?

Answer 7

False, The Chief of Police

Question 8

No member of the department other than ____________ shall be required to speak to the media.

Answer 8

Members of Command and Executive Staff

Question 9

Department member may offer exclusive coverage to any media outlet with the prior approval of the Chief of Police or the Communications Office. True of False?

Answer 9

True

Question 10

Department members shall refrain while on duty from responding to any media coverage of or inquiries concerning department policies without the permission of the Communications Office. True of False?

Answer 10

True

Question 11

In response to inquiries concerning ongoing criminal investigations only the Communications Office may release information so long as the information released conforms to department guidelines. True or False?

Answer 11

False, also the department member directly involved with the case or the appropriate supervisor

Question 12

Only the ______________shall be authorized to release information from confidential department files concerning investigations and operations.

Answer 12

Chief of Police or his designee

Question 13

Files regarding active, ongoing investigations are not public records, and the Communications Office will not release any records concerning such investigations without the prior approval of the investigating officer or their supervisor. True or False?

Answer 13

True

Question 14

The ___________ shall be responsible for coordinating the release of information about victims, witnesses and suspects

Answer 14

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Question 15

In criminal matters, the following information may be released to the news media with the approval of the Chief of Police:

Answer 15

1. The suspect’s or defendant’s name, age, sex, residence, employment, marital status and any similar biographical information.
2. The substance of the charge(s) filed as well as other pending criminal charges against a suspect.
3. The names of the arresting/investigating divisions or agencies and officers, and length of the investigation.
4. The circumstances immediately surrounding the incident which led to charges being filed and details of the arrest, including time and place of arrest, pursuit, possession and use of weapons, and a description of items seized at the time of arrest.
5. The type of force used against the victim and/or against the assailant and a general description of the extent of injuries to both the victim and the assailant, if any.
6. Whether or not the suspect has given a statement, but not the specifics of that statement. Department personnel may discuss with the media specific information contained in public records.
7. The names, ages, sex and occupations of most victims at the appropriate time (see exceptions below).
8. Upon arrest of a suspect, appropriate information about child physical and sexual abuse cases only to the extent that such information is contained in public records. The appearance of public records may be altered before their release to the media/public, in order to prevent the release of information such as the victim’s name, etc.

Question 16

The following information may not be released to the news media:

Answer 16

1. An arrest that has been expunged.
2. Informant information.
3. The name and address of any juvenile charged with a criminal offense subject to the provisions of paragraph (III)(H) below.
4. Specific information about any prior juvenile criminal history.
5. Identity of undercover officers

Question 17

The following information may not be released to the news media unless the information is contained in public records:

Answer 17

1. The results of any examinations or tests conducted on the accused (including line-ups) or the refusal by the accused to submit to any examinations or tests unless such results are contained in public records.
2. Specific information about the details of type, quantity or quality of evidence gathered in a criminal case, without the prior approval of the senior investigating officer.
3. Information received from other law enforcement agencies unless those agencies have concurred in releasing the information.
4. The identity of any known or possible witnesses or the credibility or anticipated testimony of perspective witnesses. EXCEPTION: Department personnel may give general information about potential witnesses when such witnesses are being sought. (For example: “Police are looking for the driver of a red Camaro who may have witnessed a pedestrian being struck and killed today.”)
5. The contents of suicide notes. However, in light of the 1991 Tennessee Supreme Court ruling Griffin v. City of Knoxville, the Communications Office may release the content of a suicide note at the appropriate time.
6. The identity of a seriously injured adult victim, until the immediate family of the victim has been notified. The identity of a deceased minor victim shall not be released until the immediate family of the victim has been notified.
   The identity of a minor victim who is not deceased shall not be released without the permission of the minor’s parents.

Question 18

Exceptions to the release of victim information:

Answer 18

a. In the case of a sexual offense committed against an adult, only the age and sex of the victim and the general location of residence may be released. (For example: “A 28 year old Brainerd woman.”)
b. In cases of physical and/or sexual abuse committed against a child, no information other than the sex and age of the victim may be released regarding the identity of the victim. No information at all concerning the identity of the person who reported the alleged abuse will be released without such person’s written consent. No information should be released about an alleged child abuse perpetrator unless an arrest has been made. Suspect information shall be released only at the direction of the COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE and lead investigator. Such information may be released, for example, if an appeal is being made to the public for help in locating the suspect.

Question 19

What are the Juvenile Exceptions?

Answer 19

1. In the course of an investigation, the department may ask for the public’s assistance in locating a juvenile suspect, and/or warn the public about a suspected juvenile criminal. The request for assistance/warning may be conveyed through the media by the Communications Office. The department’s statement about the juvenile should contain no information about the juvenile’s prior criminal history.
2. If a charge of delinquency against a juvenile is transferred for criminal prosecution under T.C.A. § 37-1-134, information may be released by the Communications Office concerning the juvenile defendant in the same manner as if the defendant were an adult.

Question 20

Members of the media shall check in with the _____________ when seeking access to Police Department facilities not open to the general public. This applies to all media activity on any police property, including parking lots.

Answer 20

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Question 21

News media shall be allowed to come within___________ of scenes of crimes, fires, natural disasters or major catastrophic events as long as the media presence does not interfere with any law enforcement or rescue function or operation.

Answer 21

A reasonable distance

Question 22

News media shall obey police lines and not cross them unless the ___________has given prior approval.

Answer 22

Incident commander

Question 23

In situations with an outer perimeter, news media may be allowed on an equal basis to pass beyond the outer perimeter into the outer controlled area only with approval from the on-scene supervisor or the Communications Office who may request an escort for such personnel if appropriate. True or False?

Answer 23

True

Question 24

Under the _______________, the department must release certain information on arrested suspects unless the record has been expunged or there is an ongoing investigation.

Answer 24

Tennessee Public Records Act

Question 25

Mug shots may be released to the media without the authorization of the Communications Office or Chief of Police. True or False?

Answer 25

False

Question 26

Code Annotated § 10-7-503 provides, in pertinent part, as follows:

Answer 26

Inspection by citizens; confidentiality; law enforcement personnel records.
(a) All state, county and municipal records…, except any public documents authorized to be destroyed by the county public records commission in accordance with § 10-7-404, shall at all times, during business hours, be open for personal inspection by any citizen of Tennessee, and those in charge of such records shall not refuse such right of inspection to any citizen, unless otherwise provided by state law.
(b) omitted
(c)(1) All law enforcement personnel records shall be open for inspection as provided in subsection (a); however, whenever the personnel records of a law enforcement officer are inspected as provided in subsection (a), the custodian shall make a record of such inspection and provide notice, within three (3) days from the date of the inspection, to the officer whose personnel records have been inspected:
(A) That such inspection has taken place;
(B) The name, address and telephone number of the person making such inspection;
(C) For whom the inspection was made; and
(D) The date of such inspection.
(2) Any person making an inspection of such records shall provide such person’s name, address, business telephone number, home telephone number, driver license number or other appropriate identification prior to inspecting such records.
The procedures set forth in this statute will be followed with respect to requests for information on an officer other than personal information.

Question 27

A federal appellate court has held that law enforcement officers have a right of privacy in their personal information (e.g., home addresses, home phone numbers, names of family members, etc.) contained in their personnel files. True of False?

Answer 27

True

Question 28

Media members are permitted to ride in a CPD vehicle for ride a longs. True of False?

Answer 28

False; No media member shall ride in a CPD vehicle without prior approval of the Communications Office.