Overview

Target Audience: Priority seating for Law Enforcement, Corrections, Fire and Communications Sponsoring Agency: Beaverton Police Department & Oregon Peace Officers Association BRIEF Overview: This class will cover the basics of being a PIO for your agency. There will be discussion on the overall duties of a PIO, Oregon Bar Press Guidelines, media landscape and best practices. Other topics covered will be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Nextdoor apps as well as FlashAlert, Canva and other programs that are often used. During class you will write a mock press release that will be reviewed at the training. And lastly, we will conduct mock on-camera interviews to be reviewed. Instructor Name(s): Kelsey Anderson is the Public Information Officer for the Tigard Police Department. Prior to joining TPD in 2020, she spent 13 years as a television news reporter at KPTV (Fox) in Portland, KHQ (NBC) in Spokane and KTVZ (NBC) in Bend. As a journalist, she was nominated for four regional Emmy awards. As a PIO, her comprehensive understanding of the media landscape has been invaluable in telling TPD’s story, building the department’s brand and gaining proactive, positive media coverage. She is a Portland native (go, Parkrose) and busy mama to two little girls. Officer Matt Henderson holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University and has had a distinguished 17-year career as a police officer with the Beaverton Police Department. During his time with the department, he served in a variety of roles, including patrol officer, street crimes investigator, and training officer. Over the last five years, he has been the department's Public Information Officer, leading communication efforts during high-profile events such as officer-involved shootings, homicides, missing person cases, and officer deaths. In addition to his law enforcement background, Officer Henderson has over five years of experience in Meta advertising, basic web design, and social media strategy. This combination of skills enables him to bring a unique perspective to public sector communication, bridging traditional law enforcement expertise with modern digital engagement. Outside of work, Matt is married and the proud parent of three children.