As we’ve seen from recent law enforcement raids on the Marion County Record in Kansas and the home office of Timothy Burke in Tampa, local police and federal agents seem all too willing to brush aside the law when it comes to executing search warrants on journalists that lead to seizures of documents and equipment like computers, hard drives, and phones.
So what should reporters and newsrooms do to prepare for the unthinkable? How should you and your colleagues behave if officers arrive on your doorstep? What do you say?
To help answer that Florida’s First Amendment Foundation and Freedom of the Press Foundation, building on previous efforts of others in earlier years, including the law offices of McGuire Woods, Thomas and LoCicero, as well as the Student Press Law Center, have created this short guide to help you if you ever find yourself staring at a warrant.
Use this link to download our guide: A-Guide-for-Newsrooms-Facing-a-Police-Raid