Safety & Arrest Response Protocols for Journalists

1. Pre-Assignment Safety Planning

Before covering protests, court proceedings, policing, immigration enforcement, or other government actions:

Risk assessment: Editors and reporters should discuss potential risks (arrest, equipment seizure, harassment, detention) before assignment.
Credentials: Ensure journalists carry press credentials and understand that credentials do not guarantee protection.
Emergency contacts: Reporters should share:
- A primary editor contact
- A legal contact
- An emergency personal contact
Know Your Rights briefing: Journalists should be reminded of:
- Their right to remain silent
- Their right to an attorney
- What to do if asked to unlock phones, surrender equipment, or hand over footage
Preemptive legal support (strongly encouraged):
Journalists—especially Black, brown, immigrant, freelance, and independent reporters—should be encouraged to contact the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP)before going out on assignment if they have legal questions or concerns.
- Email: projourn@rcfp.org (for legal needs ranging from prepublication review to contract questions)
- Hotline: 1-800-336-4243 (for urgent questions, including just before covering a protest)

The newsroom should treat this as an emergency protocol, not a PR issue.

Immediate actions (first 30–60 minutes):

Confirm the journalist’s location, status, and any charges (if known)
Contact legal counsel immediately
Notify senior editorial leadership
Begin documenting the incident in real time (who detained them, where, when, and under what circumstances)

Do NOT:

Ask the journalist to explain or justify their actions while detained
Delay legal support to “see how it plays out”
Treat the arrest as an individual problem rather than an institutional responsibility

Maintain access to pre-identified legal counsel experienced in press freedom, protest law, and/or immigration law
If internal counsel is unavailable, activate shared legal defense networks, including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
- Urgent legal hotline: 1-800-336-4243
- Email: projourn@rcfp.org
Cover all reasonable legal costs related to the arrest or detention
Ensure the journalist does not face retaliation or financial burden for asserting their rights

Silence enables intimidation.

Issue a timely public statement affirming:
- The journalist was reporting
- The newsroom stands behind their work
- The incident raises serious press freedom concerns
Coordinate messaging with:
- Journalism organizations
- Peer outlets
- Press freedom groups
Avoid language that distances the newsroom from the journalist (“pending review”) unless legally required

After release or resolution:

Offer trauma-informed support (time off, counseling resources)
Conduct a debrief focused on institutional learning, not individual blame
Review whether safety protocols or legal preparedness need strengthening
Ensure there is no chilling effect on future assignments—journalists should not be quietly sidelined

Publishers should not act alone.

Participate in rapid-response coalitions that:
- Amplify arrests or detentions immediately
- Share legal resources and expertise
- Track patterns of intimidation across regions
Share incident documentation (when safe) to help identify systemic targeting
Commit to defending all journalists—especially Black, brown, immigrant, freelance, and community-based reporters—regardless of outlet size or status

Maintain an arrest-response checklist accessible to all staff
Update protocols annually or after major incidents
Train editors and reporters on safety and legal response as part of onboarding
Treat attacks on journalists as threats to press freedom, not isolated disruptions

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

Journalists are encouraged to contact RCFP before assignments and immediately if detained, questioned, or threatened.