Staying safe, staying well: Save these checklists to use on your next assignment

Thousands gather for a vigil for Renee Good, the 37-year-old woman shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Jan. 7 in Minneapolis. Ellen Schmidt | MinnPost | CatchLight Local | Report for America
 

By Meg Martin Minnesota Journalism Center

The collective work of local journalists over the past few weeks has been the strongest possible argument for the vitality of local news in Minnesota. 

As you and your teams continue the work, here are some checklists focused on safety, well-being and legal rights for each stage of the assignment process  —  whether you're developing your safety protocols or you'd welcome a quick refresher — building on tools developed by our colleagues at the International Women's Media Foundation, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, the Global Center for Journalism and Trauma and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
 

• Before you go: PPE, risk assessment and planning
• During your assignment: Situational awareness and communication
• After reporting: Debrief and decompress

Save these links: Hotlines to call for immediate support

Before you go: PPE, risk assessment + planning

Preparation takes minutes, but can make all the difference for reporting teams in ever-changing situations. It’s vital to know your mission, know your limits and know your team’s protocols — and communicate them ahead of time, every time.

Consider bringing… 

• Identification: Press badge (be able to display it prominently, if needed, but not around your neck) and government ID. Which ID you bring is a matter of personal preference. Some journalists prefer a driver’s license; others prefer passports or other relevant documents.
   
• Personal protective equipment: What you bring depends on your role and the situation. Consider whether you’ll need a respirator or an N95 face mask, for instance — as well as googles, a helmet, a vest. At minimum, try to bring an N95 mask and Sudecon wipes in case you are exposed to chemical irritants. (Our partners at the Committee to Protect Journalists have built a guide to PPE.)
   
• Contact numbers: Have at least two phone numbers on you in case you can’t access your phone, including your primary newsroom contact/s (a newsroom hotline, an editor, your company’s general counsel — or whatever your newsroom recommends) and the phone number for an attorney or the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press legal hotline (1-800-336-4243). Some people like to write these numbers on their arms; others prefer to have it on a piece of paper that they keep close.
   
• Digital safety: Some partners recommend using a Faraday bag for protecting your phone. Nearly everyone recommends turning of biometric sign-ons in favor of passcodes. (For more digital security recommendations, see the Electronic Freedom Foundation's Surveillance Self-Defense guide, IWMF's guide to protecting journalists and newsrooms and PEN America's Online Harassment Field Manual)
   
• Other helpful supplies: Cash or credit card, water, snacks, first aid kit, weather-appropriate supplies (cleats for your boots, hand warmers, layers, etc.)
   

If you’re looking for additional context, check out WIRED’s guide for protesters — which contains suggestions that are also relevant for journalists covering large groups and law enforcement.

Resource — PPE FUNDING

The International Women's Media Foundation has an emergency fund to help U.S. journalists buy PPE and other protective gear. 

To apply for the funds, fill out the IWMF's intake form — or contact Meg at the MJC to be connected to the IWMF's funding coordinator. 

Assess the risks

Conduct a risk assessment with your reporting partner and whoever will act as your team’s newsroom support while you report. The ACOS Alliance offers a robust assignment safety checklist — or you can ask yourselves a few basic questions to help guide your reporting and your safety plan. For example:

• What type of scene do you anticipate?
   
• Who’s likely to be there? (Protesters, local law enforcement, federal agents, neighbors, constitutional observers, etc.) How will their presence affect your reporting and your safety?
   
• What’s your goal in reporting? What materials do you need to accomplish it?
   
• Given the landscape and the groups involved, where are the the safest, most effective places to do the reporting?
   
• How will you know you’ve gotten what you need?
   
• What might prompt you to leave?
   
• What should you do if you’re detained or arrested? Who should you call? Who should your newsroom support person call?

Safety, legal and resilience resources for journalists covering the federal surge in Minnesota

Make a plan  

Work with a partner — and agree on your process for watching each other’s backs while you report. (Best practice: One person reports, the other watches — then switch.)

Determine who will monitor and support your work from afar (an editor back in the newsroom, for example) from the moment you leave the newsroom to the moment you sign off. This person should be fully plugged in to your movements and the situation you're covering, and available to respond to your communications immediately.

Decide how you’ll communicate with your partner and your newsroom support.

Determine how often you and your partner will check in with your newsroom support person. (Every 20 or 30 minutes can be a good place to start.) Stick to it. What should your newsroom support person do if they don't hear from you at the designated check-in?

Be clear that if either partner says it’s time to go — it’s time to go.

Set a meeting point outside the action, in case you and your reporting partner are separated.

Resource — 1:1 SAFETY CONSULTATIONS

Safety experts with the International Women’s Media Foundation are available to consult one-on-one on physical and digital safety issues.

It's not a rapid response line, but the IWMF team is paying attention to what's happening on the ground in Minnesota, and is ready to help. 

If you need more immediate support, contact Juanita Islas, IWMF's program director.

Resource — PRESS BADGES

If you are a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and need a press badge while covering the presence of federal agents in Minnesota, contact the local Minnesota SPJ chapter at [email protected] to request a badge.

MN-SPJ and the Minnesota Journalism Center are partnering to provide press badges to SPJ members in need of them.

During the assignment: Situational awareness + communication

While reporting

Get there: Arrive early, if possible. Park far enough away from the action that you can safely exit.

Plan your departure: Identify at least two exits from the area.

Understand what’s happening: Pause when you arrive and assess the situation. Get a sense of the landscape, the players and the energy of the moment. Identify the main leaders who are directing the action among all the entities present, including law enforcement. Some of our partners also recommend taking a quick panoramic photo and sending it to your newsroom monitor.

Position yourself: Find a way to report from a distance or angle that will allow you to see the full dynamics at play. Be aware of who’s in front of you and who’s behind you. Don’t get between opposing groups. Be aware of whether you’re on private or public property.

Distance yourself: Maintain visibility to the main action. Watch for signs that law enforcement might be ready to deploy chemicals or use other crowd-control or dispersal techniques. Stay well back — or leave.

Move: Regularly move in and out of crowds; don’t stay in the center. Be aware of the way the situation develops and respond accordingly.

Bottom line: Agree on “let’s go” if you feel unsafe. Trust your gut. Leave when you must.

Know your rights

These recommendations come primarily from the IWMF's most recent tipsheet for Minnesota journalists, with some supporting details from other sources.

Every journalist must know their rights and what to say if approached by police. If approached or stopped by police:

Identify yourself clearly.

• “I am a journalist covering this event for [media outlet name].”
• Show your press credentials slowly. “I’m reaching for my credentials.”
• If an officer asks for your name and you decide to give it, give your full legal name.

Clarify your status.

• “Am I free to leave?” Officers are obligated to answer this question. If the answer is yes, calmly leave the vicinity.
• “Am I being detained?” If the answer is yes, you have the right to remain silent and generally have the right to refuse a search of your belongings. You can also ask for the name, agency and badge number of the person who is detaining you.

Remain calm and professional.

• Limit what you say.
• Obey directives.
• Do not physically resist.
• Continue recording if safely possible.

If you are placed under arrest:

• Follow the protocols you established with your team before you left for the assignment.
• Ask your reporting partner or another journalist to notify your attorney and editor. Give them your cellphone, camera, kit or other reporting materials or equipment for safekeeping.
• You should be given access to a local phone call. Remember that if you call someone who's not your attorney, your call can be recorded. If you call your attorney or the RCFP hotline, your call may not be recorded.
• Officers might take your equipment. Clarify that you are a working journalist and have reporting materials on you. In general, police need a warrant to search your reporting materials. Your possessions should be returned to you when you’re released.

Resource — FREE LEGAL HELP

Journalists and news organizations seeking assistance with specific legal questions or issues can reach an attorney 24/7 through the free Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press legal hotline. 

For requests during business hours, fill out the form at rcfp.org/legal-hotline. 

For more immediate or after-hours needs, call the hotline — which is staffed 24/7 — at 1-800-336-4243. 

• Save this contact: Tap this link to save the RCFP hotline to your phone contacts

Press freedom tracking — IF YOU ARE TARGETED or DETAINED

If you experience or witness violence against journalists or other First Amendment violations, please report them to the Minnesota Pro chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Email [email protected] with details.

Take care of each other: Resources for Minnesota journalists 

After reporting: Debrief and decompress

The Global Center for Journalism and Trauma (formerly the Dart Center) recommends that teams make a regular practice of debriefing after every intense coverage event. 

Even if the event you and your team have covered was straightforward, making a practice of closing the loop on the day’s coverage can be essential. 

You might simply ask a few wrap-up questions at the end of an assignment:

• What did you see/experience?
• How did it go?
• How are you doing?
• What do you need?
• Should we make any adjustments for next time?
• And possibly: Would you like to continue this reporting tomorrow? Or would a break be welcome?

If the situation was particularly intense, volatile  or distressing, the GCJT recommends additional follow-up: “It’s essential that managers make contact with anyone on their staff who’s been through a distressing experience. This is good management anyway, but is especially important in the aftermath of trauma.”

And remember that staying connected to family, friends, colleagues and social networks through stressful coverage can be particularly helpful.

Taking care of your physical and mental health before, during and after challenging coverage is an essential investment in ensuring that you’re serving your community.

Resource — FREE THERAPY RESOURCES FOR JOURNALISTS

If you or your colleagues could use some additional support, consider taking advantage of the Journalist Trauma Support Network’s new program, which is offering free, time-limited therapy to U.S. journalists. 

The JTSN is made up of therapists who have been trained in the specific needs of journalists.

To request services, contact the International Women’s Media Foundation by emailing [email protected].

IWMF will schedule a brief screening call to assess your needs and help connect you with appropriate resources.

Toolkit — STRESS, RESILIENCE AND MINDFULNESS TOOLS 

The University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing has compiled a website full of tools designed to help Minnesotans navigate this crisis moment in our state. 

Build resilience, learn self-regulation practices that may help while experiencing trauma, and support your wellbeing.

Further reading

These checklists include recommendations and guidance from several of our partner organizations: 

• Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: How to protect yourself while covering a protest
• International Women’s Media Foundation: Journalist safety during immigration enforcement and protest coverage
• IWMF: Minnesota-specific guidance
• Global Center for Journalism and Trauma: Staff care tips for managers and editors

More from the MJC:

• Safety, legal and resilience resources for journalists covering the federal surge in Minnesota
• Hotlines to call for immediate support
• Take care of each other: Resources for Minnesota journalists (This guide was produced after the Annunciation school shooting in August, but many of the tips are relevant and useful today.)