1 May 2019
Our Reference: IR-01-19-6618
Hugh Davenport
[FYI request #9719 email]
Dear Mr Davenport
I refer to email of 28 February 2019 where you requested, under the Official Information
Act 1982 (the Act), information regarding video recording devices. Specifically you
requested:
1. Are there any video recording devices attached to any Police staff (ie, body cam)
2. If so, then:
a. groups of staff the devices are attached to (ie, select few, all front line, all
sworn staff, all staff)
b. Any policies on when the device must be attached
c. Any policies around data retention time
d. Description of the device, or devices if multiple
3. If not, then:
a. Any internal research into any video recording devices, either for staff, or
for vehicles
b. Any internal discussions based around whether any such device will be
implemented or not
I have considered your request and have included all documentation within the last 12
months as in scope of your request. My response is outlined below.
Police staff do not wear any video recording devices on their person. Therefore questions
1 to 2 (including 2a – 2d) are declined under section 18(e) of the Act as the information you
requested does not exist.
In response to questions 3a and 3b, my response is as follows.
Please see below the list of the documents which fall into the scope of your request.
1. Police hold an academic article from the Criminology Journal (Jan 2018) regarding
body worn cameras. Copyright applies and this is publicly available. This has been
withheld under s18(d).
2. Police hold a table of consolidated information about body worn cameras and their
use in Australasia, being information provided by the Australia New Zealand
Police National Headquarters 180 Molesworth Street. PO Box 3017, Wellington 6140, New Zealand.
Telephone: 04 474 9499. Fax: 04 498 7400. www.police.govt.nz
Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA) to Police during the relevant period. This
information is withheld under s9(2)(ba)(ii).
3. Police have completed draft briefing titled Taser 7 and Body Worn Camera Proof
of Concept Briefing. This document is withheld under section 9(2)(g)(i), to maintain
the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of
opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation
of officers and employees of any Department or organisation, and section
9(2)(b)(ii) where the making available of the information would be likely
unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or
who is subject of the information.
4. One of the Police Manual chapters – “Police filming and audio recording of
operations and events” – refers to covert body cameras. This document is attached
to this response.
5. In March 2018 the Research and Evaluation Group began a Body Worn Camera
Research project, they have provided me with their Terms of Reference and the
Literature Review. This project was placed on hold in October 2018.
Body Worn Camera Research Project:
On 26 March 2018 the Police Executive Leadership Board requested the research and
evaluation group to undertake research into the use of body worn cameras. A terms of
reference for that research has been finalised and are attached. A preliminary literature
review was also prepared. That is attached also.
There are emails between officials concerning the project and the creation of the terms of
reference and who would be involved. These are not about body worn cameras and are
purely administrative and are not included. The project was put on hold in October 2018.
Within these email there is also:
An excerpt from the Executive Leadership Board minutes from the 26 March 2018,
discussing the body worn cameras and the initiation of the project. These are
withheld pursuant to s9(2)(g)(i).
Minutes from the Australia New Zealand Society for Evidence Based Policing
(ANZSEBP) meeting. Sections of these minutes are out of scope of this request
and the only small part that refers to body worn cameras, discusses grants
received for Australian Police research and is withheld pursuant to s9(2)(ba)(ii).
You have the right, under section 28 (3) of the Official Information Act 1982, to ask the
Ombudsman to review my decision if you are not satisfied with the way I have responded
to your request.
Yours sincerely
Acting Superintendent Andrew Sissons
National Manager: Response and Operations
