When Mark Hackel, the sheriff of Macomb County, visited Thursday, October 8 in one of Oakland University’s Gold rooms, he discussed with students and faculty how the media and law enforcement have a special sort of relationship.
He detailed his experiences with the 2007 Tara Grant murder case from Washington Township as well as the Marilou Johnson case that followed a month and a half later in the Bruce Township.
In the telling of these two experiences, the sheriff talked about his relationships with reporters along the way and how some instances were better than others.
Hackel shared how at times media coverage of a case can become a hassle when officers are in the process of investigation – with the news helicopters flying overhead and what not.
But on the other hand, Hackel also showed his respect to news hounds and their initiative to investigate and get answers in areas where the law creates boundaries for officers.
The sheriff shared how sometimes it’s a game when the media is heavily involved in an on-going case and there is a suspect or “person of interest” who is not willing to talk with law enforcement. Hackel says the media and news coverage is a great way to get a message out for that specific person of interest, as in the Stephen Grant situation.
“This case was solved and resolved because of the assistance with the media,” the sheriff said, referring to the Stephen Grant trial.
Hackel also gave advice to journalism students regarding media and officer relationships. He said that individuals should be respectful but to “test or challenge law enforcement, if we are wrong, we need to fix it…the most important thing is an individual’s rights.”
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