Officers taking photos of youth have 'best of intentions' - Assistant Commissioner
A spokesperson for the police says officers taking photos of youths on the street do so "with the best of intentions". It has been revealed police have been approaching youths, taking their photos and using an app to send them to a national database. One officer RNZ spoke to said frontline officers would be strongly encouraged to talk to groups of young people if they spotted them on the street. Chris de Wattignar, the NZ police Assistant Commissioner for Iwi & Communities, who is leading the police's internal review into the policy of taking photos of young people, told Morning Report he wants feedback from the community about the practice and will act upon it. "I think our staff are acting with the best of intentions and it's on us to ensure that our guidance keeps them and our communities safe," he said. Asked whether the practice had systemically targeted Māori or Pacific people De Wattignar said the database had a "relatively colourblind approach". "The stories that you've heard are clearly coming from Pacific or Māori families, I don't deny that, but I don't believe that there's a systemic approach to taking notings from Pacifika and Māori people."