Officer-Involved Shootings: Lessons Learned and How Agencies Can Best Prepare, Manage, and Withstand These Critical Incidents

Monday, October 16, 2023

12:15 PM – 1:30 PM PST

Location: Room: 9

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Jeremy Warnick

Director of Communications and Media Relations
Cambridge Police Department, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Speaker(s)

Mark Economou

Public Information Manager
Boca Raton Police, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Taylor Merriss

Special Projects Coordinator
Evansville Police Department, Indiana
Evansville, Indiana, United States

Whether an agency has or hasn’t had an officer-involved shooting, it is well known that the impact of an OIS event go beyond the officer(s) and individual(s) involved, but the department and community as well. Because of the gravity of officer-involved shootings, it is vitally important to ensure that an agency and its officers are ready with their crisis communications plans in advance of such an event and know how to navigate the many challenges that may follow it. Panelists will discuss their agency’s respective incidents, highlight lessons learned from each tragedy, pitfalls, opportunities, suggestions for working with the media and handling social media, steps to rebuild trust with communities, and wellness considerations and procedures for PIOs or members managing agency communications.