How do stories about crime shape public trust and understanding? And what legal and ethical considerations guide decisions about releasing information?

Those questions will be at the center of a U.S. Media Literacy Week event on Oct. 27: “What’s True About True Crime? Crime, Information & Public Trust.”

Front Range Community College’s Journalism and Criminal Justice programs are partnering with the Westminster Public Library for an interactive look at how crime is communicated — and how those narratives shape public trust and community understanding.

Doug Bell, president and education chair of the Colorado Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, will be on an expert panel exploring crime, media and the stories that shape our communities, along with representatives from the Westminster Police Department and the local prosecutor’s office.

Participants will:

• Explore a fictional crime scenario shaped by conflicting social media narratives.
• Work in small groups to identify what the public needs to know, which sources to trust and what information may be missing.
• Engage with experts from five perspectives: Police communications, crime journalism, prosecution, victim advocacy and documentary filmmaking.
• Hear how experts gather and evaluate information and navigate legal, ethical and public responsibilities.

This event is for ages 18 and above. Registration is required; click here to register and for more information.

DETAILS

• When: Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Where: College Hill Library, Room L-211, 3705 W 112th Ave, Westminster, CO 80031, west end of the Front Range Community College campus.

---

• OCT. 15 EVENT: A special screening of the National Association of Black Journalists’ 50th anniversary documentary, plus panel discussion
• LEARN MORE ABOUT SPJ COLORADO PRO at our website.
• OUR LATEST NEWSLETTER.
• STAY IN TOUCH WITH SPJ COLORADO PRO on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, X.