12 Jan 2022

Concern police youth photo rule change will lead to more arrests

From Morning Report, 8:10 am on 12 January 2022

The police are being commended for tightening the rules on officers photographing young people, but there are concerns it could lead to the perverse outcome of more Māori being arrested.

The changes come after RNZ revealed in December 2020 that officers in Wairarapa were unlawfully photographing young Māori.

Police can now only take photos or fingerprints of young people if they have been arrested or summonsed, and all existing pictures of youths on devices must be deleted.

Our reporter Hamish Cardwell was one of the journalists who broke the story and he spoke to Morning Report.