Transparency in our communications is as important as the openness of the police department's actions and decisions written into policies and procedures. The following page provides an overview of the methods and processes the Salem Police Department uses for its public communications.

Media releases

A media release is an agency's official statement concerning an incident and the actions taken. Publishing the statements is an integral part of the Salem Police Department's efforts to provide clarity about circumstances and develop public trust.

Press releases recently issued by the department are available through FlashAlert Newswire. Subscribe to receive Salem Police FlashAlert messages.  Media releases are also posted to the Salem Police Department's primary social media accounts, X (formerly named Twitter), and Facebook.

Social media communications

The Salem Police Department also use social media to communicate with the public. In an effort to increase connections with residents through images and videos or inform the community about the types of calls handled by officers and detectives, social media has become commonplace.

Salem Police uses Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, X, and YouTube as information-sharing methods.

Not all police activities are posted to social media; however, messages of a more urgent nature are most commonly posted to X only.

Media inquiries

Reporters representing credentialed online, print, television, and radio media organizations are encouraged to subscribe to the FlashAlert Newswire. Emergency alerts and non-urgent media releases are posted to the service, which in turn sends an immediate email to subscribers. In general, all press releases are also posted to the Salem Police Department's social media accounts.

Media inquiries must be sent by email to spdmedia@cityofsalem.net. Any request from a credentialed journalist or news outlet will be coordinated by the Communications Office, whether case or breaking news related.

Should the need arise for a press conference or a media briefing at a scene, the announcement of the location will be published via FlashAlert and Twitter.

Public records or police report requests

Submit all requests for public records or police reports through the City of Salem Public Records Portal. Status updates on your request can be obtained by logging in to your portal account. Call the Salem Police Records Section at 503-588-6144 for more information.