This document summarizes a presentation on the portrayal of police image in Indian media. It discusses how media shapes public perceptions of police through agenda setting, priming, and framing. Interviews found common perceptions are that police are corrupt, insensitive, and politically influenced. News reports often portray police negatively. Entertainment media shows unrealistic heroic police. The presentation concludes police and media need better cooperation and understanding to improve police image through strategies like crime newsletters and community workshops.

1. Seminar on Society, Governance and Police:
India in The Post Millennium Period
Organized by the
Dept. of Political Science
Kalyani University
Date:18th and 19th November,2013

2. Portrayal of the Image of police in
Media- A Study
Presented By: Mou Mukherjee Das
Assistant Professor,
Aliah University
Kolkata.
mou.mukherjeedas@gmail.com.

5. What is an IMAGE.
An image (from Latin: imago) is an artifact that depicts
or records visual perception, for example a twodimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to
some subject – usually a physical object or a person,
thus providing a depiction of it.

6. The ROLE of media in forming this image
The mass media constantly surround us, and inform us.
Mass media is the primary force(either direct and indirect
experience) in shaping people's views of crime (Dominick
1978).
Due to its pervasive nature media influences public’s
attitudes toward police force.

7. Theoretical approaches in explaining the EFFECTS of
media
Agenda setting – instructing and suggesting the public in
what to think about as the most important issues (e.g.,
whether government policing is an important issue at a given
time and what aspects are important),
Priming – associating and correlating
people or
institutions with particular issues (e.g., associating the
police with crime fighting),
Framing – shaping how to think about a given issue by either
identifying and interpreting general trends or covering
specific events (e.g., how often the police use excessive force
in dealing with suspects).

8. The study
Chibnall (1975) examined in his study about Fleet Street
crime reporters, it found that media editors unscrupulously
publicized and condemned police’s inefficiency on releasing
crime information.
Most news stories about police are focused on a specific
crime, crime trends, or crime problems, and the police are
rarely the focus of the report. Thus, a lot of news places
police in the background of the story, mentioning them only
in as much as they describe what they are doing about a
crime event or larger crime issue (Surette, 1998:69-70).

9. The study contd..
(Fox and Van Sickel, 2001) has observed a recent trend
among the news men and had called this as “tabloid justice”
They argue that mass media have entered a time when they
concentrate on the “sensationalistic, personal, lurid, and
tawdry details of unusual and high-profile trials and
investigations” (p. 3).
The entertainment media present an extremely distorted view
of the nature of police work, one that stresses crime fighting,
police violence, and individualism (as exemplified by Dirty
Harry) (Surette, 1998: 40-43).

10. Objective
The paper aims to study the effects of media on common
people and the formation of police image

11. MethodologyThe researcher aims to do this through
 the
study of secondary literature and
 analyzing reporting on various recent incidents in various
mediums.
 The researcher had also interviewed certain police officials
and media men, who on terms on anonymity had agreed to
cooperate with the researcher.
 The researcher had asked in general some important
questions to the common people, though not in strict order
of a questionnaire , in order to assess the public attitude
towards the police

12. The Findings- Common perception about Police
Police is supposed to be the protectors of the people but actually
they are the main perpetrators and violators of crime
Policemen are snob, have a casual approach towards the hapless,
more often than not are lazy and delayed, and uses abusive
languages and exhibit rude behavior, mostly in a coercive
manner.
People also felt that many policemen are politically affiliated
and work accordingly under the power of the political
hooligans and therefore praying justice before them will result
in their loss of security. Thus they feel that it is wiser to keep
quiet than to go to the police station and court problem.

13. Police due to their lackadaisical attitude, have built an image
which shows them lacking in accountability in providing
protection of life and security.
While crimes are getting sophisticated, the police are
becoming less professional
Police are often ignorant and lack in adequate training in
handling of cases related to women , children and even
human rights
A sensitization effect have occurred where the name of the
police itself evokes an image of insecurity, problem and
troubles in India.

14. The news reportsNews reports that have highlighted police image in common
people’s mind the reports posited was a negative refrain about
the profession and the institution itself.
The reports invariably
insensitive and lawless.
portrayed police personnel as
The police, on the other hand, accused the media of
sensationalism and exaggeration.

15. While talking with a section of the media, the researcher
found that the media persons feel there is a tendency on the
part of the police to withhold information instead of sharing it
with the press on the pretext of secrecy. To be tightlipped “no
comment” has become an unwritten policy
The media persons claim they had an experience which does
not correspond with the national commission codes of police.
They are often manhandled, roughed up and even shoved off.
The police officials in a bid to defend the indefensible, make
the exercise unconvincing and loose credibility in the eyes of
the media, which provokes the media to expose and exaggerate
the lapses of the police by gathering information from
unreliable sources.

16. The Image of Police in the -Entertainment media
Police are portrayed as masculine, smart, full of martial arts
skills, fit, aggressive, action packed, always willing to shoot
at suspects. Example- singham, gangajaal.
The respondents when asked about certain serials which are
presently portraying police in a positive image like crime
patrol and savdhaan India- they claimed that the police
attitudes and behavior varies considerably depending on the
socio-economic status of the victims.

17. The Image of Police in the -Entertainment media
Reel life does not correspond with the real life.

18. The Image of Police in the -Entertainment media
Police force as shown in reel life -having a humanitarian approach and
justice doers.

19. The SolutionThere ought to be a fair measure of understanding and an
appreciation of each other’s role.
Even media persons feel that they are willing to help the
police, only if their attitude shows little consideration
towards their work, rather than revealing show of power.
Police officials can organize proper interactive sessions with
the media and train the law enforcement officers accordingly

20. The Solution contd-Police officers must be adept in handling the media in the
wake. Public relations strategies should be formulated to
enhance the image of the police in the public mind along with
arranging for workshops in local places to make common
people aware about their rights thus build an amiable
relationship between the police officials, media and the
common people
Media can be treated as an ally rather than a rival and can
be helpful in disseminating information on departmental
rules and practices and giving publicity regarding wanted
persons and criminals.

21. It is equally important for the media to understand the
difficulties of the police because the interests of both despite occasional friction - run in the same direction”
According to Barthe (2010) crime newsletters can be a
good idea to solve this problem:
Content of Crime Newsletters
•
Self-protection techniques
•
Ways to report crime
•
Locations of police resources
•
Dangerous areas
•
Offender addresses
•
Area crime problems

22. Thank you….