BAHRAIN’s police force has been getting lessons on opening up to the media.
Experts from the UK have just concluded a two-week media training course for 10 officers from the Interior Ministry.
They were drawn from various departments including the Coastguard, Customs, Public Security and Civil Defence.
Also joining them on the course were public relations officers from the Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry and the Electricity and Water Authority.
It indicates a significant shift in policy in dealing with the Press, which often relies on unnamed sources to obtain information.
UK-based National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) consultant and senior British journalist Mike Kenny helped deliver the course, which ended yesterday at the Gulf Hotel.
He admitted that police in Bahrain had to be more media-savvy and professional in keeping the media informed.
However, he added officers had been enthusiastic in learning the “tricks of the trade”.
“Bahrain recently approached the NPIA to train its force and we have started with this two-week course,” said Mr Kenny.
“Hopefully, there would be more such events in the future.”
The event, organised by the Interior Ministry in collaboration with NPIA, involved simulating real-life situations for participants and instructing them on how to act.
“It is not that the police force does not want to share the information, it is only that they lack a proper system,” he said.
Mr Kenny added it was in the force’s interest to divulge as much information as possible quickly in order to satisfy the media’s hunger for news.
“If the media get what they want immediately and with the minimum fuss, it would lead to a very healthy relationship between the two,” he said.
Information
The intention is to help Bahrain’s police force dispense correct information as soon as possible and with the minimum fuss.Read more
