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Sheriff's Information Bureau's Unit Orders

20-21 Issuance and Surrender of Press Passes


20-20 Executive Fleet
20-22 SIB Terrorism Liaison Officers

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

EXECUTIVE DIVISION

SHERIFF’S INFORMATION BUREAU

Unit Order:

20-21

 

Effective Date:

03-10-2020

 

Subject:

Issuance and Surrender of Press Passes

                   

Reference:

MPP 5-06/000.35 News Media

MPP 3-01/080.15 Press Relations
MPP 3-01/080.16 Photography, Audio, Videotaping by the Public and Press

 

PURPOSE

The purpose of the LASD press pass is to authenticate the identity of a journalist and to allow that person to get closer than the average citizen to police and fire lines, press conferences, emergency evacuation areas or disaster recovery zones, and other Department-related events. This pass affords the bearer of the credential an opportunity to restricted areas to publish matters of public concern and disseminate information to the general public. 

 

Note: An LASD press pass is not required to obtain or have access to information from the Department; the general public, and non-credentialed journalists have the right to information collected by the LASD and can get that information through the Department’s websites, live video news conference links, social media, and other information-sharing sources, or by contacting Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

 

SCOPE OF ORDER

Media agencies.  There are many media agencies: radio stations, television stations, newspapers, magazines, or websites. 

 

ORDER

Media complaints or press pass requests shall be directed to Sheriff’s Information Bureau at (213) 229-1850 or sibmedia24hrs@lasd.org.

 

Media organizations requesting consideration for their employees seeking press passes must meet the following criteria:

 

  1. The organization must regularly publish, circulate, or broadcast news to the general public.
  2. The organization must demonstrate that it covers and publishes news events generated by the activities of police and/or fire department personnel.
  3. The organization’s personnel must have an actual need to pass through police and/or fire lines to cover news events.
  4. The organization must include a copy of their business license.

                                      

To be considered for the issuance of press passes, the organization must submit correspondence on official letterhead describing their publication and explaining the reason(s) it is seeking to obtain press passes for its employees. 

 

Once the organization has been approved to receive press passes, a registration package will be sent. The organization must designate a coordinator or contact person to facilitate press pass applicants.

 

New & Renewal Applicants

 

When requesting a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Press Pass, all first-time applicants, as well as all applicants seeking to renew press passes, must submit the following:

  1. One new application form, and
  2. One passport-size photo.
    1. The completed application packet must be forwarded to the organization’s contact person. After the packet is reviewed for completeness, it must be mailed to the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.
  3. A copy of government-issued identification with photo.

 

Upon receipt of the completed package by the Sheriff’s Information Bureau Press Pass Coordinator, a “Request For Live Scan Service” package will be sent back to the organization’s contact person. Upon completion, it needs to be returned to the Sheriff’s Information Bureau Press Pass Coordinator.

 

***PRESS PASSES WILL NOT BE ISSUED WITHOUT THE RETURN OF THE LIVE SCAN FORM***

 

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Press Pass remains the property of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and must be surrendered upon demand of the Department for any of the following reasons:

 

  1. If the employee or employer has been convicted by final judgment of conviction, or arrested prior to the date of the application, for offenses involving the use of force or violence on the person of another, converting the property of another, lewd conduct, forgery, embezzlement, vagrancy, or for interfering with or otherwise impeding the activities of law enforcement officers.
  2. If the employee abuses his or her press pass authority.
  3. If the employee uses his or her press pass to deceive another person or for the purpose of committing or attempting to commit fraud.

If the employee terminates or changes employment.