Mass Media and Public Perception on Police in Canada (Essay Sample)

Running head: MASS MEDIA AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION ON POLICE IN CANADA Mass Media and Public Perception on Police in Canada Korri Thomas Student # 200344131 27 September 18 Georgian College – Public and Media Relations Professor: Beth Milliard Mass Media and Public Perception on Police in Canada Access to mass media is no longer just a non-compulsory choice, but now there are more options to access information from different sources. Unlike in the traditional years of the twentieth century where newspapers, radios, and televisions were the primary means of disseminating information, the society in the twenty-first century has witnessed tremendous changes in the manner information is reported and received. Today, the emergence of the internet has changed how information is disseminated and its impact on those that consume this information. A significant impact has been on law enforcement agencies tasked with crime prevention activities. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of mass media on public perception on law enforcement officers. The paper takes into consideration two main sources of disseminating and receiving public information. Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter as well as mainstream media such as newspapers and television networks are the focus of this paper. This paper in conjunction with the fore mentioned will examine the incident of the Fredericton shooting on the 10th of August that left four people dead, including two police officers. Case Study - Fredericton Shooting According to Carabresse (2018), the Fredericton shooting occurred on 10th August, and a suspect was later arrested as he had fled the scene. Carabresse (2018) explains that according to the police report, police officers heard gun shots in Fredericton and when they rushed to the scene, they found the bodies of two civilians lifeless on the ground. The officers are then said to have engaged the individual suspected of initiating the shooting. Subsequently the two officers succumbed to injuries sustained as a result of their altercation with the suspect. The suspect was later arrested and arraigned in court, to which he pleaded not guilty to the offence. How Mass Media Covered the Incident The Fredericton shooting was received with outrage from civilians, some claiming that Fredericton had suffered a major setback in matters of safety and security. The Globe and Mail Newspaper is quoted listing some details about the suspects and the murdered officers. A section of the newspaper read “What we do not know about Fredericton Shooting” (Calabresse, 2018, p.1). An alternate newspaper Global News had the cover story with the same title but was significantly more detailed compared to Global Mail News. According to Vomiero (2018), the two civilians killed in the incident were a couple that had been in a relationship for approximately three months. The police did not, however, disclose the motive for the murder. Additionally, police treated the area as a crime scene where the incident had occurred for more than two weeks, and residents were evacuated to other rental apartments. Mainstream media followed every detail of the incident from the time it occurred until the time when the case was presented before the judge on 24th September. According to Bissett (2018), reporting for the Canadian Press, the judge adjourned the case reporting that he had received new evidence from the prosecution. Social media also played a critical role in keeping the public informed and updated about the issue. CBC News shared the information live on Facebook, keeping the people from different backgrounds updated about the situation. There were also numerous live videos broadcasting individual’s reaction to the shootings. On Twitter, a new hashtag was created and was trending throughout the hearing process. Some people utilized the hashtag to label the attack as motivated by religious motives and that the attacker was heard making false claims about Muslims. Fredericton police and the government also used Facebook and Twitter to provide updates on the progress that the police had achieved to ensure their safety. Protests in the area were captured and live video recordings used to cover the live events in the area where the incident had occurred (Gillies, 2018). The next section analyzes the media coverage of the events at Fredericton and provides an update on how the coverage of the events shapes public perception about the police. Analysis: Fredericton Shooting Incident and Mass Media Coverage Lambert (2016) carried out the research study to explore how police used social media to respond to the crisis. One cannot, however, ignore the fact that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are open and accessible by anyone with access to the internet. Mass media coverage of the Fredericton shooting had a significant impact on the public perception about how police respond to crises as well as emergencies. Some mainstream media outlets were keen to follow and solicit more information from police and the public as well, in order to provide a clue for the motive of the attack and what the law enforcement officials had done to counter the attacker. Some media outlets used the incident to communicate how police had poorly countered the suspect by emphasizing the extensive time it took the police to respond to the scene. The information provided by Gillies (2018) goes a step further then more news outlets to provide information about private relationship status, mentioning that two civilians killed had just come from their first date. Douai (2014) explains that communication media has always been a battleground for the public struggle in showing and indicating the power of the justice system. Mainstream media such as newspapers and television networks have worked in this case as sources of information for people of diverse backgrounds. When an incident happens, the first place that people turn to find detailed information is mainstream media and social networking sites. The case of Fredericton shooting is a good example of the role mass media played in shaping public perception on a specific incident as well as the focus and sentiment towards law enforcement agencies across Canada. One...