[ad_1]
The police surveillance authority and the Privacy Commissioner agreed to jointly undertake an independent investigation into the illegal photography of young people on the streets of Wairarapa.
The investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority and the commissioner will begin in the new year, and a public report will be released as soon as possible.
The police watchdog became involved after reports of police officers photographing young Maori on the street in Wairarapa.
Photographs taken of children under the age of 17 without the consent or presence of their carers are considered illegal.
READ MORE:
* Police watchdog will investigate after reports police photographed young Maori in Wairarapa
* Children’s Commissioner investigates how widespread police photo incidents are
* Questions raised after police officers prevent youth from taking their photos
Ricky Wilson / Stuff
Police have admitted three incidents in which photographs of young people were illegally taken and the photographs destroyed.
Massey University politics professor John-James Carberry made a post on Facebook last month, asking if anyone in the community had a similar experience after he approached his 14-year-old relative on the street.
The post received many responses, and many young reporters were approached and photographed in broad daylight.
Police admitted to three incidents in which photographs were taken illegally and the photographs were destroyed, but said that everyone else had followed the correct procedures.
The local iwi and the children’s commissioner called for an investigation, amid concerns about racial discrimination.
