Police watchdog launches nationwide investigation into photography policy

By Hamish Cardwell and Te Aniwa Hurihanganui of RNZ.

Revelations that Masterton police were illegally photographing young Maori in the region have prompted the police watchdog to conduct a nationwide investigation.

The practice came to light after multiple reports from whānau describing their children walking alone in broad daylight, when officers approach and insist on taking their photo.

There have been increasing calls for a national investigation, including from the Commissioner for Children, Wairarapa iwi and community lawyers.

The president of the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA), Judge Colin Doherty, said the authority would analyze whether the practice was widespread.

“We’ll be out there looking really good, not just what’s being sent to us, but the broader ramifications that we think we want to see.

“If this were a general practice, then we would want to know all the details about where it is, how long it has been, etc.”

Judge Doherty says that once he has all the information from the police, he will make a decision on how the investigation will take.

He said that the IPCA and the police have a memorandum of understanding that allows matters to be referred to the police control body even though there are no official complaints.

An example of this is when the reputation of the police is at risk, Judge Doherty says.

Wairarapa police revealed earlier this week that an August review found three photos, all of young Maori, in violation of the law and had since been destroyed.

Police said the youths matched descriptions of suspects identified in a series of car thefts in the middle of the year.

They said that all other photographs of young people at the time were taken legally.

However, Wellington Police District Commander Corrie Parnell was surprised to be informed by RNZ of multiple reports describing a pattern of police officers photographing tamariki in the Wairarapa region dating back at least two years.

YouthLaw Aotearoa has offered to help young people file a complaint with the IPCA if they believe they have been illegally photographed.