Public Safety Reporter II

The Norwich Bulletin, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK,is looking for a thoughtful and community-minded reporter who wants to help reimagine the public safety beat in a digital-first environment.

Breaking news, crime and courts will be part of the mix, sure. But the way we cover policing, criminal justice and our community must change, to hold law enforcement and other government agencies accountable, seek a more nuanced representation of the challenges we face and rebuild trust with neglected communities.

You’ll need to dig deeper and seek a wider perspective, cultivate diverse sources and devote resources to debunking myths and stereotypes. You’ll write about serious crime, scrutinize police tactics and spotlight social issues, while being sensitive to how our stories affect the various people and neighborhoods we cover.

In addition to your public safety responsibilities, you will be responsible for municipal, school and local news for two communities in eastern CT – communities that would be new deserts without your valuable work. You will monitor the debates, votes and inactions of the Town Councils and Boards of Education to provide readers with news they can use in their daily lives and to make informed decisions.

An ideal candidate will be conscientious and collaborative, skeptical and comfortable with conflicting views. Flexibility is key, as are compassion and creativity: You’ll cover a protest one day, interview a victim’s family the next, and end the week crunching crime statistics and exploring other criminal justice trends. You’re comfortable breaking a story online, adding additional nuance and facts in real time to lead the conversations in our communities.

The beat will evolve as you share best practices with network colleagues around the country. Metrics and audience research will help guide decisions about how to cover topics and issues as you engage with readers on a variety of platforms to drive audience and subscriber growth.

The Bulletin is Gannett’s only Connecticut property, covering four communities in eastern CT, along the I-395 corridor. Norwich is known as the “Rose of New England.” The city boasts a diverse racial population of just over 40,000. The city is less than an hour from Hartford, the state capital; less than 2 ½ hours from Boston and just over 3 ½ hours from New York City. Local amenities include the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos, the 500-acre Mohegan Park which is filled with walking trails, and Dodd Stadium, which is home to the Norwich Sea Unicorns, a Futures Collegiate Baseball League affiliate.

Responsibilities:

Produce sensitive, insightful coverage that accurately informs and engages multiple audiences, providing a news product that offers context and diverse points of view.
Be a curious, assertive, and self-starting journalist who jumps to report on breaking news and trending topics with urgency.
Use metrics and analytics to increase digital audience and engagement and grow digital subscriptions.
Be courageous about experimentation and deliberate about evolving policy. Identify enterprise opportunities and chase them with passion.
Monitor Google Trends, Dataminr and other search tools for hot topics and moments with rising interest
Leverage diverse tools, text, images and video to reach readers in print, digital and on social media.
Work collaboratively as part of a team with other reporters and editors. Occasionally, fill in on other beats to assist in coverage of tent-pole events.
Serve as an ambassador to the community on The Bulletin’s behalf and actively seek to engage with marginalized portions of the community.
Pitch in with stories on other topics and perform other duties as necessary.
On occasion, work extended hours, evenings, weekends and holidays, at times unexpectedly as news happens.

Requirements:

Bachelor's or master’s in communications, journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience
1 or more years of professional journalism experience or significant internship experience, preferred
High-level writing, communication and time management skills
Demonstrated ability to work well on deadline
Ability to produce content that is clean, accurate and publication ready
Understanding of reporting ethics and sourcing
This role requires a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the minimum liability insurance required by state law.
Employment is contingent on passing a pre-employment, post-offer drug screen, motor vehicle record check and background check.