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Media Depiction of the Police

Media portrayals of the police range from nightly news broadcasts to fictional movies and television and even to social media. Those posting cellphone videos and other first-hand accounts on social media will portray the police in accordance with the author’s personal viewpoint and story. Fictional movies and televisions shows will portray the police in a way that is meant to enhance the drama of the program. When it come to the news media, we’d like to be confident that the portrayal will be accurate. However, that is not always the case, and news media may advance an opinion simply by choosing which items to broadcast and which to ignore.
•What is the relationship between excessive media viewing and the fear of crime? Is an increased fear of crime a natural response to violence, brutality, and injustice being broadcast to our homes on a daily basis? Why or why not?
•Many police dramas now include reenactments of crimes. Does this mislead viewers into believing that such things actually happened? Does the media's interpretation of facts bias the perceptions of the public about the effectiveness of law enforcement officers?

Acting under the public's right to know and to prevent the abuse of power by the government, media representatives often report information regardless of what law enforcement officials want. Law enforcement officials do not always want some matters reported to the public. This is often done to protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation or to avoid embarrassment to their departments. However, these same law enforcement officials often use the news media to present their position on a particular incident or issue. Media representatives have ethical obligations to not intentionally present false information to the public.
•Analyze and explain whether the law enforcement officials are under any similar ethical obligation to not intentionally present false information to the media.
•Should law enforcement be able to block a media inquiry into police activities in some cases because of the belief that the use of deception is for a greater good such as for an undercover drug operation?
•Suspected criminals do not always have a right to expect the truth from law enforcement, but do citizens have a right to expect the truth at all times from all public officials, including law enforcement? Analyze and explain.