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Chapter 16. Conducting Outreach and Communicating with the Public What steps can we take to communicate and engage with the community that will allow us to develop continued understanding of their needs AND allow them to know what work is being done by the oversight agency? The need to hear from, and meaningfully engage with, the community and to give the community a voice in policing has been a significant part of oversight's history dating back to its growth following the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Different approaches to communicating and engaging with the community have been adopted over the years, some successful and some not. Recent developments like social media, for example, offer important opportunities to connect with stakeholder groups in new and exciting ways. Engaging youth, through outreach in the schools, through social media and online public service announcements, including "know your rights" guides to interacting with the police, should be a priority of any oversight agency. Agencies should also have a clear policy for releasing information to the public, and all staff or board or commission members must follow it carefully. It is recommended that all media contacts be managed or designated by the agency director, board chair, or designated public information officer. In addition, the community outreach or public information officer on staff should be authorized to prepare press releases to alert the media every time you have something important to report to the community. Community outreach is usually the responsibility of the agency Director or a dedicated staff person who is highly visible in the community and is particularly skilled at community engagement. Unfortunately, this staff position is often the first one cut when there is a budget deficit. It is important to remember that the best community outreach is by word of mouth from persons who have been served by your agency. However, initially, very few people will know that you are open for business and a full blown media campaign is a very good idea. Some agencies will put up posters on busses and trains to announce their availability to a large segment of the population. Police oversight agencies must be on radio and television programs to help educate the populace and market your services. Participating in community events and networking opportunities will make the agency more visible. One important partner in an overall outreach and engagement strategy is the independent press. Therefore, relationships with local, regional, and national press partners are something that should be cultivated and attended to regularly. bhbni9 37 65D-166