Her camera guy was hunched over, fidgeting away at his settings, when I walked over and offered them breakfast burritos. My offer stopped him moving, like a spotlight on a deer. He became fixated on her, staring intently as he waited for the answer. Tech bros, I’m sure, would show overrepresentation if ever a study were funded to gauge preference, by profession, for the breakfast burrito as a nutritional start to the day. Cops would be up there, too.

“No, thanks,” she replied, mustering a thin smile. Camera guy grimaced, looked down and continued thumbing at his gear.

That morning, we had partnered with our department on a task force event to combat speeding and aggressive driving. Dozens of motor officers from area jurisdictions were packed into our FOP lodge building for breakfast and a briefing. A few media batteries, anxious to report on all the tickets that would be penned by officers wearing tight pants held hostage by black leather knee boots, were also jammed into our lodge. The reporter and her camera guy were squeezed deep into the corner. “The burritos are good,” I insisted. “Let me get you guys one.”

Anything you are planning that paints law enforcement in a positive light is probably worthy of media coverage.

Camera guy, sensing another shot at a breakfast of champions, had forgotten his work a second time and shot her a quick nod when she casually bladed his way. “OK, thank you.” Her smile, however subdued, was appealing. I could see why television, not paper, was her medium.

“Dave Goitia — I’m a Glendale police officer and I also happen to be president of FOP Lodge #12,” I told them both as I shook their hands. “Thank you for being here. I’ll be right back with two.” I swear, tech bros have a way of just making the world work sometimes, don’t they?

Law enforcement can be an ugly business. When necessary, we use force to protect ourselves and the public — and we video-record it. So the media have plenty of ugliness to draw from as they calculate angles for law-enforcement-related stories. An introduction and a couple of breakfast burritos … maybe it changes the math someday. The LEO labor organization I lead has been able to soften a few edges when it comes to media relations. Here are a few easy steps that have worked for us.

Know your rights as a LEO labor organization representative

Most cops work in jurisdictions with policies prohibiting them from media engagement. But LEO labor organization representatives have specific legal rights when it comes to these interactions. Consult with your organization’s attorney to ensure you are on solid ground. Your interactions with the media may have to be conducted off duty.

Get comfortable with press releases

A press release is an informational statement intended for media consumption. Ask your agency’s PIO for an example. Use it as a guide and then create your own template. Don’t have a PIO? Email me and I’ll send you a couple of examples. Good press releases are accurate, informative and concise. Don’t forget to include your contact information should media representatives require additional information about your release.

Press releases serve two main purposes:

1. An invitation for the media to show up to your event, cover it and report on it. These types of press releases require only a few paragraphs. Examples of events that might warrant media attention include press conferences and community outreach efforts. Anything you are planning that paints law enforcement in a positive light is probably worthy of media coverage. The task force we hosted at our lodge building that morning is another good example of this.
2. A request for the media to report on something that has already happened. Maybe your organization did something really great without a formal event. In these cases, you are essentially writing the story for the media and asking them to put it in the newspaper or on television. It is crucial to include photographs and/or links to video of the event with the press release. You don’t have to be the best writer on the planet to pull this off. Media outlets have editors who will sharpen your work. Just remember the five Ws: who, what, where, when and why.

Distribute press releases

Press releases are distributed primarily via email. Again, your agency’s PIO should be of assistance in this area. If necessary, you can build your own email distribution list, but it will take some work. Start with your local media outlets. Their websites will list contact information and office locations. Travel to those offices and begin making introductions. Law enforcement stories produce some of the most engaging media content around. Trust me, they will be interested to meet you and cover your stuff. With respect to your email distribution list, start local and then work on state or even national-level contacts.

Build relationships

You issued a press release and your event has attracted media attention. Great! Now, don’t leave those reporters and their tech bros standing in the corner. Introduce yourself and thank them for being there. Answer any questions they may have about the event. They should feel comfortable moving about freely as they work to develop the story. Yes, they have those microphones and cameras to do a job, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat them like guests. Offer them food if it’s part of the event. Ask for a business card. I go a step further and request personal contact information. Ask if you can contact them directly in the future. Reporters are always looking for stories, and they will likely be happy to provide this information.

The takeaway

Media coverage of contemporary American law enforcement has, let’s face it, left a lot to be desired. But we can’t blame the media for their click-baiting obsession with negative police headlines unless and until we start giving them something positive to promote. We can do better, and it isn’t that hard. It didn’t take tight pants and black leather knee-highs for me to get the attention of that television reporter with the nice smile and her camera guy. Which is good, because I would look like a fat ass in those things. But I know my way around a press release. And I can pass out a burrito and make an introduction faster than you can say, “Press hard, three copies.”