A better service for the public, Police staff and the media starts today with the introduction of the New Zealand Police Media Centre – operating seven days a week.
The new approach to communications is being launched by Commissioner Mike Bush.
“This new service is designed with the public, our staff and media in mind. We strive to continue building the trust and confidence of the community. We can only do this together. The new Police Media Centre recognises the importance of providing a good service for key stakeholders such as the media,” says Mr Bush.
The new approach reflects the changing media environment, which now operates on a 24/7 basis just like operational policing. It is also a response to feedback from media in a survey of 300 journalists conducted last year.
“Although we received some positive responses from our survey, many others made it clear we needed to improve our service to the media,” says Karen Jones, Deputy Chief Executive, Public Affairs.
“We’ve listened, we’ve taken action and we’ve made changes.”
The NZ Police Media Centre operates from the National Command and Coordination Centre at Police National Headquarters in Wellington. It creates a dedicated contact point for journalists, seven days a week from 6am to 11pm.
A smaller Auckland based hub will operate during weekday business hours.
There will also be a greater focus on using social media to convey key information to the public in a timely fashion.
With Police issuing over 6,000 media responses and alerts per year (NZ’s busiest government agency in the media space), the new operation will provide a single point of contact, consistency and a continuity of service for both police staff and media.
The change also reflects how equivalent Australian police jurisdictions operate their media function, where 24/7 media liaison services have been operating successfully for several years.
What won’t be changing is the long standing policy that Police officers can continue to speak to the media on their area of responsibility, particularly on local matters in their communities.
How it works
• Available 6am to 11pm, based at Police National Headquarters in Wellington.
• A smaller Auckland-based Media Centre operates business hours, Monday to Friday.
• Between 11pm and 6am, Communication Centres manage urgent media issues
Outside core business hours the focus for the Police Media Centre will be on operational events and responses, not routine queries such as requests for statistical information and comment on policy etc.
The new approach also creates dedicated internal communications resources for police outside of the core media team, which has been increasingly difficult to sustain under the old model due to the volume of reactive media requests.
“This is a new approach - so we are asking media to please bear with us while the new system settles in,” says Karen Jones.
“We are committed to making this work as we get a new team up and running and establish the systems which will help us provide a better level of service,” says Ms Jones.
Contacting the new Police Media Centre (6am to 11pm, every day)
• media@police.govt.nz
• 03 3718 111 (South Island)
• 04 2385 111 (Lower North Island)
• 09 3533 111 (Upper North Island)
• @nzpolicemedia
Media advisory
This is a reminder for media that you are invited to the formal launch of the Police Media Centre today.
When: 1.30pm, Monday 16th May
Where: Police National Headquarters, 180 Molesworth Street, Wellington.
We ask those wishing to attend to please confirm either via email to media@police.govt.nz or by calling 04 2385 111.
Please assemble at PNHQ reception from 1pm.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre