An Analysis of the Public Relations Role of the Police Public Information Officer

For nearly four decades, police agencies of all sizes have established public information officer (PIO) functions to communicate with a variety of audiences, particularly the media. The results of a 2000 survey of PIOs shows that, indeed, whereas most describe their role as media-oriented and reactive, some PIOs also use management-oriented, proactive techniques that are consistent with established public relations models. These findings suggest that PIOs perform a wide array of traditional public relations activities and that they have been instrumental in moving law enforcement from a closed to a more open system of communication.