Following Photojournalist’s Arrest, RTDNA Offers Media Training to Police Departments

By Andrew Gauthier 

The RTDNA is sending a message to police officers that could be viewed as either an olive branch or a veiled critique. Or both.

Following the recently renounced arrest of Long Island photojournalist Phil Datz, the RTDNA is offering first amendment training assistance to the Suffolk County Police Department, as well as any other police departments around the country that may be in need of a refresher course in media relations.

“This arrest showed a gross misunderstanding of the media’s First Amendment right to inform the public,” RTDNA chairman Mark Kraham stated. “With that said, RTDNA is here to help.”

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The organization has not gone into specifics about what sort of assistance it would be willing to provide police departments and it appears that it will consider questions and requests from departments on a case-by-case basis.

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