Rochester police accountability internship

USA TODAY Co. • Rochester, NY

10d

About The Position

USA TODAY Co., Inc. is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. Through our trusted brands, including the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations, including our network of local properties, in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom, we provide essential journalism, local content, and digital experiences to audiences and businesses. We deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, supports small and medium-sized businesses with innovative digital marketing products and solutions. USA TODAY Co. open roles are featured on various external job boards. When applying to a position at USA TODAY Co., you should be completing an application on USA TODAY Co. Careers via Dayforce. Job postings directing you to complete an application on other external sites may not be valid. To connect with us, visit www.usatodayco.com The part-time intern will work with Democrat and Chronicle reporters and independently in spring semester 2026 to examine police accountability issues, including related to the D&C’s New York state police disciplinary database and the records contained therein. This intern will help update the database, including tagging documents received from local police departments. The intern will identify stories from these records to report and write, highlighting challenges police departments face in ensuring front-line officers follow policies and the law. The intern will conduct interviews with community members, law enforcement personnel and experts, review data and create social media posts, written stories and occasionally photos or video. Internship supervisors offer mentoring, networking and real-world experience. As part of our news team, you will work on meaningful and impactful coverage, as part of a larger team of Rochester Democrat and Chronicle and USA TODAY Network New York State Team colleagues.

Requirements

• Degree-seeking student currently enrolled at a college or university.
• Familiarity with and/or willingness to learn how to file FOIL requests.
• Well organized, detail oriented, adaptable and flexible
• Ability to multi-task and work well in a team environment
• Excellent organizational, analytical and oral and written communication skills
• Previous internship experience is a plus
• Technical skills required for multiple aspects of the role
• Ideal candidates will possess strong Office and PC skills.

Nice To Haves

• Strong writing skills and a command of grammar and style.
• Experience with social media and video platforms, like Instagram Stories, Reels, and TikTok, as tools to build audience and as a source for beat development.
• A self-starter who works collaboratively with others locally and regionally to meet common goals.
• A journalist committed to values of fairness, diversity, inclusion and professionalism.

Responsibilities

• Research, report, write and help create compelling text and multimedia journalism related to police disciplinary records and the issues these document highlight
• Help update the New York state police disciplinary database, including reviewing and tagging newly received records from local police departments
• Filing Freedom of Information Law requests, and proactively following up with agencies about them
• Make it a mission to inform and engage readers through immediacy, insightful reporting and riveting storytelling.
• Work with coach, content creators, visual journalist and producers to shape storytelling to meet audience needs and interests on every platform.
• Connect with the audience through social media.
• Shadow reporters and learn digital and video skills.
• Learn how headlines, SEO, social posts and effective mobile writing techniques help extend the reach of content.
• Collaborate with visual journalists and producers to provide all the appropriate elements for stories (i.e. photos, videos and graphics).
• Capture basic photos and video as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed