A critical incident can happen at any time, in any community, across the country. Sharing information about these incidents is one cog in the overall response wheel, but it’s one that cannot be overlooked. It’s crucial to effectively communicate both during and after a critical incident. Police1’s “Minute by Minute” series dives into the communication response to some of the most significant incidents law enforcement agencies have recently faced. Julie Parker, President of Julie Parker Communications, specializing in law enforcement media relations and social media, is spearheading this spotlight on crisis communications.

As the nation reeled from a deadly vehicle attack in New Orleans, Las Vegas faced its own high-profile crisis: a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel. Sheriff Kevin McMahill, watching the chaos unfold from home, sprang into action. Drawing on lessons from the October 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival mass shooting and backed by a seasoned PIO team, McMahill took swift control of the narrative — offering verified facts, shutting down conspiracy theories and projecting the calm leadership the moment demanded.

Key quotes from Sheriff Kevin McMahill

• On managing social media chaos and conspiracy theories head-on: “I actually paid attention to some of what was already being said online — and included that in my commentary when I did the press conferences. I think that’s a responsible thing to do nowadays, because you can shut down some of what’s being said, as long as it’s factual to what you know at the time.”
• On pushing back against performative press conference politics: “We had the mayor, the attorney general, the council, the commission — all of those people. But nope, we don’t need to hear from the same people over and over again. People just want to consume what happened. That’s really what it is.”
• On showing up, despite personal pain, to project leadership in uniform: “On the first press conference, I was still wearing a walking boot — I’d broken my ankle just a couple months prior. It was very painful to get that boot on and off, with eight screws and a plate. But I did it because I knew the rest of the country was watching. People want to realize there’s a law enforcement official there, that they’re in charge, confident and capable.”

Key takeaways

1. Own the narrative early with facts. Don’t let misinformation set the tone; get ahead with verified details, even if that means waiting to confirm identities or motives.

2. Not every crisis requires a crowd. Limit who speaks at press conferences to those with operational roles to maintain focus and credibility.

3. Use social media strategically. Train and trust your PIO team to share timely, factual updates to calm speculation.

4. Train for the moment before it comes. Repeating questions, prepping leadership, and watching how others handle crisis events builds strong command presence.

5. Transparency builds trust. Consistent, factual communication — even when the full picture isn’t available — creates confidence in law enforcement leadership.