Kimberlee Leach
Public Information Officer
To further assist the media, the Sheriff’s Public Information Officer routinely responds “at scene” to serious Department incidents. Requests for assistance by motion picture/television writers, magazine journalists, book authors, photographers, etc. are also forwarded to the Sheriff’s Public Information Officer.Unfortunately, there are circumstances where certain information must be withheld in order to protect the constitutional rights of an accused suspect, to avoid interfering with an ongoing law enforcement investigation, or because it is legally privileged. The scope and content of each release of information will be determined according to the facts of each individual situation. Such determination will be made by the Department’s Public Information Officer or by the senior Deputy at the scene, after consultation with the Public Information Officer. The Sheriff’s Public Information Officer provides specialized training to officers/deputies at in-service schools on the topic of Police Media Relations. That training is also made available, by request, to outside agency personnel.Crime, its results and the ongoing law enforcement effort to combat it are all matters of continuing public interest. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department is regularly involved in incidents where the media is present and is performing the task of gathering information. In times of crisis or natural disaster, the media serves a critical role in relaying and reporting vital information from the Sheriff’s Department to the public. Not only is the media the departments link to the public before, during and after a crisis, they are also a valuable resource in keeping the public informed of the activities of their Sheriff’s Department. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department continually seeks to maintain a cooperative climate so the media may obtain accurate information on matters of public interest in a manner which doesn’t impede Departmental operations. To foster cooperation and mutual respect between the media and the Sheriff’s Department, a member of the Sheriff’s Executive Staff is appointed and designated as the Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer. His services are made available to representatives of the media to assist in the accurate dissemination of information. The public’s perception of the Department is largely dependant upon the hard work of the Sheriff’s Public Information Officer. 133 N. Industrial Blvd
Dallas, Texas
214-653-3465
214-653-2892 fax
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