Yes.

Well, we have -- we maintain a database, which is -- records all media contact. We have regular team meetings. On the agenda we could put an item:

"What has everybody done this week? What sort of contact have you had with the media? How did you handle it?"

Just basically a ...

Yes. Radio and TV, local radio in particular, are really good communications mechanisms, but officers are naturally nervous because it's not something that they're used to doing. I always say to them, "The more you do, the easier it gets", so it's another way of getting our ...

That's one of the reasons, but generally speaking, it's not a common occurrence. You know when people are leaking stories. It's easy to tell when there's a source inside who's leaking.

No, not with my experience with Durham, no, not at all.

Yes. I think I would always honour an exclusive. If a reporter comes and asks a question about a story they are running and nobody else has it, I think it's only professional to honour that exclusive. I would not put it then out on general release. I may ...

Yes.

I think that's an example where we used -- where we had judicious use of briefing, because we asked them not to do it. There was a proper policing reason for that -- we didn't want the suspect to go to ground -- and when he was arrested we told the ...

I think what I always say to people: when you're talking to a reporter, as soon as you start speaking, they are taking notes, so assume they're going to use it.

Not specifically, no. But it tends to be about the more serious issues anyway, that we would be contacted about. It tends to be serious crimes, other investigations, where the media are looking for a particular steer and -- we may give some guidance to help how they use the story ...

We would always advise them to be cautious. I think they do err on the side of caution.

Yes, they do.

And that's the importance of having good working relationships with the local reporters, because the sanction is if they don't honour it, they never get it again, and they understand that.

"Off the record", as far as we're concerned, is background information which is -- will provide clarity and understanding to a reporter so that they can produce an accurate article.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

It probably will be, actually. It's something we'll develop as we look into the different strands of the issues arising out of this Inquiry.

No. I think it's just because it happens more infrequently and local media -- we work with local media on a daily basis so it's really important that we encourage everybody to consider that.

Yes, absolutely fair.

Yes.

But this is going to be further developed because we need to cover other areas. This is just a basic media awareness, how to maximise media potential, how to work with them in the best way for both sides.

This is the current course?

Just to explain that we actually did that as an appendix because of the HMIC report on police integrity, and it did find that we had sound governance arrangements in the majority of cases but there was actually no specific guidance relating to appropriate contact with the media. So I ...

Yes.

Well, it probably is being reviewed, I would say.

But I think it is relatively new, yes.

That was actually before my time.

It was produced some years ago, but it has been updated, I think, within the last three years.

You should be able to work within that framework and if it's the right thing to do, we'll do it.

No, I don't think so. I can't really see that happening. We would not want to see it happening.

In previous roles.

Yes. It's certainly not exclusive. All media, their press offices, their -- not -- it's sort of a public event.

Not in my current position, and where it has been offered, it's not -- it's been for a policing purpose, to -- sort of events, which are information events, where there is some refreshment.

No.

It just hasn't happened. And I think if I saw that it was starting to happen, I would raise the issues that we've already talked about, that they're not your friends.

It just doesn't happen. We know them well, we work with them. We don't see them outside work.

Not in my experience, no. We are not -- we don't socialise with the local media. We don't --

I think a lot of reporters have worked for some of the local papers, the local media for a long time, and I think there's been -- at least two of the staff have worked in the press office for a long time, so they've built up those relationships ...

Yes.

Mm.

Have a good professional relationship with the media but they're not your friends, basically.

No, we didn't use to. We do now. That is one change we have done. We are -- I am already -- we are drawing up plans to increase the media awareness so that it covers more staff -- police officers and police staff. We will include inappropriate relationships, we'll include ...

Yes, which is not a bad thing sometimes.

I don't think so, no. I really can't say. I think it seems a little bit remote. Really, people think it's down here and it's not --

No.

I don't feel there's been any sort of sea change. I think people are more aware possibly of issues. I don't think -- we haven't shut down -- nobody's shut down. We are carrying on. It's business as usual. We hope we've always operated with ...

Yes.

Yes.

So that's not an issue. The smaller bite-size chunks are really about instant appeals that you might not want to put a full-blown press release out about. You know, three scooters stolen from such-and-such. Were you in the area? Did you see anything? Please ring us. It's really ...

As far as the character limit is concerned, what we often do is tweet something which links to our website, where people can read the whole story.