S2 - Episode #32 - Deputy Chief-PIO Chris Covelli - Lake County Sheriffs Office

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What you will find in this episode:

• In this episode, we discuss Chris's background and how long he has been a PIO. His work with the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force. We go in-depth with his experience working on high-profile criminal cases as a PIO. 
• Chris was the PIO for the Highland Park mass shooting on July 4, 2022. Chris covers how he worked with other PIO's, Chiefs of Police, and appointed and elected officials to provide phenomenal public information skills in an incredibly tragic event. 
• We discuss how do you, as a PIO handle the response to incidents. Homicide calls, Officer Involved Shootings, etc.? 
• How does building trust with the media aid the PIO in crises? 
• What did Chris find surprising when you first took over the role of public information officer?
• Chris officers his insight into what would improve things in his office
• We always have the dreaded rapid-fire questions, and then we wrap up the entire interview with some quick ads from our sponsors. 

Chris's BIO

Chris Covelli began his law-enforcement career in 2004 in the Village of Lincolnshire, Illinois. In 2010 he transferred to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and has served in several sheriff’s office divisions since then.  Currently, he is the deputy chief of the court security division. In 2015 Chris was appointed as the lead public information officer for the sheriff’s office. He also serves as the lead public information officer for the Lake County Major Crime Task Force.

Chris has been the lead public information officer on hundreds of critical incidents involving mass shootings, homicides, hazardous situations, and many more emergencies. Chris also teaches the media relations module of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

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