The New South Wales Police Media Unit : a history of risk communications

In recent times sociologists and criminologists alike have looked to extend upon Beck's (1992) 'risk society' thesis in an attempt to characterise the state of modern Western society. One institutional arena which has seen a growth in the impact 'risk society' approaches have had on its operations are policing organisations. Police are seen as one of many institutions concerned with the detection and management of risk, which has shifted the traditional police focus on crime control to one of risk management. This paper will focus on the growth of the New South Wales Police Media Unit and outline the ways in which police risk communications have developed across the history of this professionalised Unit within New South Wales Police. By tracing the history of the New South Wales Police Media Unit, we will be able to see how the communication of risks has become one, of a number, of important exchanges the police make with the media and public.