THE media, especially social media, is a powerful tool for accountability, pushing police leadership to demonstrate and uphold transparency, fairness and human rights. The media here often shows the police as violators, instead of protectors, of human rights — a reality that needs appraisal. Policing here reflects a colonial past, while the media has waged a long struggle for freedom. As democracy evolved, the influence of independent media grew. The media gave the police more time and space. Together, they could have educated the public, devised a crime-terrorism prevention strategy and improved the police’s image, but failed to do so. Had the police enjoyed a positive image, more financial resources would have been allocated to policing.

But the police’s affection for a colonial past limits their role to that of a force instead of a public service. Sensational coverage of the police by the media as a tool of indiscriminate force erodes public trust. The public is given the impression that the police lack professionalism, which may not be entirely true. In a crisis, when there’s an information blackout, police media managers should provide at least some information to the media. The absence of a media policy and trained PR practitioners hinders the free flow of information.

Communication, based on the colonial model, follows a chain of command. First responders and junior officers lack training to deal with the media. Their reluctance to talk and the senior officers’ inaccessibility frustrate journalists. A media that is denied information can flash unverified news. Collaboration is needed to prevent misunderstanding and sensationalism and ensure journalists meet their tough deadlines.

Lacking an institutional framework, police-media ties rely on individual relationships. When individuals change, the relationship is discontinued. Stereotyping is another challenge. Police are generally projected as instruments of coercion and corruption. The media must explore and highlight the sacrifices of martyrs and the contributions of those who’ve tried to transform the police from a force to a public service.

Police-media collaboration is needed.

As the media competes for profit and ratings, it ends up portraying the police as inefficient, corrupt and inhuman. For the last four decades, the media has favoured conflict reporting, but the two sides haven’t worked out a detailed MoU. Understanding police-media relations requires knowledge of the limitations and obligations of both. Maintaining order is a core policing duty and can entail the use of force within legal limits, while the media has a watchdog role. Since both interact in specific crime situations, interests may collide, with reporters who lack professionalism trying to intrude. In breaking news, they may compromise the integrity of the scene and the case in court. While covering terrorism, reporters may be caught in secondary blasts. Preventing such incidents needs police-media collaboration. Honest and professional officers can ensure an open policy for free communication. Even militant groups actively manage media relations. IS operated Ra­­d­io Khilafat and Amaq. Before the Mala­kand operation, Mullah Fazlullah relayed his messages through illegal broadcasts.

Media can empower communities to prevent extremism by enabling them to identify the enemy within — the facilitators, sympathisers and abettors. Sadly, it hasn’t encouraged a debate along those lines. Challenges include bridging the gaps and ensuring the free flow of information. Police management should know that providing timely information to the media can reduce the risk of differing interpretations and slanted reporting. Over-coming secrecy is another challenge. In handling infor-mation, the media and police must be careful to uphold human dignity, privacy and ethics.

An organisation’s image-building plans are often at odds with its stated goals; for example, while the police may present declining crime rates, they overlook public satisfaction. Live coverage of terrorism may boost media ratings, but it also compromises the operation against the terrorists, besides putting security personnel in danger. Gatekeeping also suffers when field reporters dominate the show, leading to the broadcast of unverified information. The race for ratings compromises objectivity and the free flow of information. The media must show restraint when covering crime and terrorism and avoid glorifying these. Police must understand that the media is neither a friend nor a foe. Professionalism must define their relationship. Both can collaborate constructively. Communication between them, respect for ethical boundaries and prioritising accuracy over speed can boost public trust and lead to a better-informed, secure society.

The writer is an author. The article is based on his talk at the National Police Academy, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026