OSCE Mission to Montenegro

Whereas communication between media and police is generally quite good in areas such as traffic safety and minor crime, tensions can easily arise in relation to serious or sensitive cases, such as those involving corruption and organized crime. In such cases, the media often accuse the police of being unwilling to provide sufficient information, whilst the police claim that the media are not professional enough to accurately and responsibly handle sensitive issues.

The need for overcoming this mutual distrust has been a recurring topic for discussion in a series of workshops organized for police officers and journalists in Danilovgrad, Kolasin, Przno and Becici by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

The project, which has now completed its fourth year, is a joint initiative of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, the Police Directorate, various media outlets, the Montenegrin Media Institute and international and local experts.

A decentralized approach

The series began with a workshop for police officers on how to communicate with the media. Under the guidance of experts, they familiarized themselves with journalists' expectations and how to release information.

The officers participating in the training came not only from the Police Directorate but also from regional security centres. This decentralized approach was maintained in the following workshops, in which police officers and journalists practiced co-operating at a crime scene and dealing with sensitive cases involving trafficking in human beings and domestic violence.

Valeri Petrov, Programme Manager Police Affairs at the OSCE Mission, sees the involvement of officers from the regions as "a very positive step forwards."

Biljana Batizic, a journalist from the daily Vijesti who took part in the workshop on domestic violence, comments: "I think it is good to brainstorm on how to improve the communication between media and police not only at the central, but also at the local level."

Simulated crime scenes

One of the most challenging situations for communication between media and police is working at a crime scene. The policemen are under pressure to ensure the protection of people, assets and potential evidence, while journalists have to inform the public with the least possible delay.

"These complex actions, even when done in the most professional manner, often contain elements of possible misunderstanding," remarks Mirsad Rastoder, a journalist and president of the Media Self Regulatory Body.

The seminars organized by the Mission pitched police officers and journalists together in the simulated working environments of indoor and outdoor crime scenes. They had to accomplish assignments that put their communication skills to the test, like in the real world.

One of the crime scenes simulated a murder and a burglary in a hotel room. Participants were divided into two groups and each group received special instructions, not known by the other. The police officers had to secure the crime scene until the arrival of the forensic experts and communicate with the journalists. The journalists on the other hand were tasked to get as much information as possible, without destroying any evidence.

The confined setting, the difficulty of the case and the competitive drive of the participants made for a situation very similar to that at a real crime scene. Police officers were trying to protect the crime scene from the pushy journalists and reveal only information that would not endanger the investigation, while journalists were trying to force their way through to get more pictures and information.

After the heated exercise, both groups had to present their work and analyse it.

"The participants learned many things which they can implement in their work," remarks Tamara Popovic, Spokesperson of the Police Directorate. "The training has allowed them to break the ice, so to speak."

Guidelines to take home

During the seminars, the participants identified the need for a set of guidelines, a reminder of the most important basic standards prescribed by the law and professional codes of conduct for communication between journalists and police officers. Following up on the idea, a group of experts developed a pocket-sized list of guidelines, which has been distributed to police stations and editorial offices.

Mirsad Rastoder, who helped develop the guidelines, says: "I believe that these principles of mutual respect will help professionals, and especially young policeman and journalists, to adhere to their professional commitments and principles and to have in mind the need of others, thereby contributing essentially to a safe and informed citizenry."