The Georgia First Amendment Foundation has partnered with the Society of Professional Journalists Georgia Chapter to develop an online training course for the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC).

The course, led by SPJ GA and produced with guidance from GFAF and the University of Georgia Law School’s First Amendment Clinic, trains law enforcement and other public safety officials on effectively handling interactions with the news media during volatile events of public interest, such as protests and riots.

The goal of the course is to develop greater understanding that leads to more respectful interactions between law enforcement officers and members of the press and avoids police use of force.

Read SPJ GA’s press release for more information, and watch the video of “Police & the Press: Get the Facts about News Coverage of Protests” —  a May 6, 2021, panel discussion about what journalists and law enforcement officers need to know about one another’s roles and rights.