CBS News, ASU Howard Center partner on investigation into police 'moonlighting'
Chad Bradley (right), a student in the Howard Center's Master of Arts in investigative journalism program, helps set-up an interview for the “Under the Moonlight” series with reporters from CBS News. Photo courtesy ASU Howard Center
A new, investigative series by CBS News and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University reveals the stark reality of the practice of letting police officers work off-duty security jobs.
“Under the Moonlight” is a yearlong examination that reviewed more than 100 law enforcement agencies across the U.S., focusing on the lack of oversight regarding “moonlighting.”
“This collaboration is the result of trust and respect that our students and faculty in the Howard Center have worked hard to earn,” said Battinto L. Batts Jr., dean of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “Our partners at CBS News clearly recognize and appreciate not only the level of talent that the Howard Center students have, but their commitment to excellence and professionalism in their work. I am very proud of our students and extremely grateful to our faculty for their dedication to preparing them for opportunities such as this.”
Published by CBS on Tuesday, “Under the Moonlight” provides an in-depth look at accountability, corruption risks and a lack of scrutiny by departments that allow officers to work off duty, often with full police powers and sometimes very little oversight, while reporting to private employers and not their public supervisors.
The project includes video components and digital stories, led by students from the Cronkite School’s Howard Center.
The students played a key role in the investigation, filing public information requests to law enforcement agencies and creating a centerpiece of the project — an interactive tool that allows the public to examine how law enforcement agencies regulate off-duty policing.
Reporters in the Howard Center were also responsible for writing and developing storylines, and looking at the consequences of minimal oversight, including what happens when officers are accused of misconduct while working off-duty jobs and get immunity.
“At the Howard Center, students are full participants in national investigative reporting, not observers,” said Mark Greenblatt, executive editor of the Howard Center. “When we work with strong partners like CBS News, students work shoulder to shoulder with network journalists on investigations that hold power to account — that level of responsibility and access for students is rare in journalism education and defines our teaching-hospital model."
In all, 15 students from the Howard Center contributed to the reporting, data collection and analysis for “Under the Moonlight.” Video versions of their work can be seen on CBS News 24/7 streaming, cbsnews.com and on CBS News Texas.
Production credits
Reporting:
Tallulah Anne, Chad Bradley, Kaylin Cantu, Emma Croteau, Sam Ellefson, Aspen Ford, Naomi Jordan, Tag Lee, Christopher Lomahquahu, Nicole Macias Garibay, Isabelle Marceles, Shayla McKenzie, Anna Olp, Madison Perales, Eshaan Sarup for the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism and Ari Sen, Brian New and Lexi Salazar for CBS News
Data analysis:
Tallulah Anne and Emma Croteau for the Howard Center and Ari Sen for CBS News
Field production:
Tallulah Anne, Chad Bradley and Aspen Ford for the Howard Center and Laura Geller, Nicole Vap and Donald Leonard for CBS News
Graphics, design and development:
Taylor Johnston for CBS News
Photojournalism:
Mike Lozano and Jose Sanchez for CBS News
Video editing:
Scott Fralicks of CBS News
Editing and project leadership:
Mark Greenblatt, Lauren Mucciolo and Angela M. Hill for the Howard Center and John Kelly, Scott Pham, Matt Mosk, Laura Geller and Nicole Vap for CBS News.
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