New guidelines to help journalists and the police work alongside each other at crime scenes have been drawn up by Nottinghamshire Police and the National Union of Journalists.

The nine-point guidelines are designed to help diffuse potential conflicts between newsgatherers and officers in a variety of situations, and have been distributed to all Nottinghamshire Police personnel and NUJ members on a pocket-sized card.

They point out that the media has a legitimate role to play in informing the public and the presence of a photographer or reporter at an incident does not of itself constitute any unlawful obstruction or interference, but that any journalist who breaks the law will be dealt with in the way as any other offender.

They also point out that police officers do not have the authority to stop photographers taking pictures or to confiscate equipment, and that journalists have the right to report events that occur on public property.

The document took more than a year to draw up, and the NUJ is now calling on the Association of Chief Police Officers to adopt such guidelines in all police forces.

NUJ Nottingham branch secretary Kevin Stanley said: "We have had countless reports in the past of police officers being at the very least unhelpful to our members, and at worst obstructing them in their job of getting reasonable access to a crime scene and its environs.

"Similar guidelines are already in place in Staffordshire. They are a simple and effective way of reminding everyone of their responsibilities."

Margaret Kirk, head of corporate communications for Nottinghamshire Police, added: "The NUJ has been extremely helpful in canvassing opinion and offering suggestions.

"The beauty of this document was that it was born out of a genuine desire, on both sides, to improve a previously poor relationship."