When Your Investigation Becomes an International Crisis: The PIO’s Role During Major Events

Today’s public information officer (PIO) has to juggle providing timely, accurate information to the public while protecting the integrity of sensitive investigative information in the face of crisis.  The Public & Governmental Affairs Office for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the criminal investigative agency for the state, is no different.  The summer of 2020 proved to be their busiest and most challenging yet: In May 2020, a cellphone video from a South Georgia incident that occurred in February went viral, leading to demonstrations and inquiries from the media and the public from around the world. Later that month, events in Minneapolis sparked civil unrest worldwide, including Georgia.  During the height of these protests, another incident occurred in Atlanta that led to even further unrest…all during a global pandemic.

Anyone attending this webinar will learn:

• Key steps to take to prepare for a crisis. It’s not a matter of ‘if’ a PIO will deal with a crisis but ‘when’ a PIO will meet a crisis head-on.
• Messaging strategies for high-profile incidents.
• After action items to handle post-crisis.

The live webinar event is free to attend.