Source: Radio New Zealand
123rf.com
Three police staff investigated in relation to “misuse and inappropriate content” have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Last week, police confirmed 20 police staff were being investigated, three of whom were facing criminal investigations. In total, six staff had been stood down.
On Wednesday, Acting Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers told RNZ police continued to make inquiries in relation to 17 staff identified in a rapid review of police’s information security controls.
“Of the 20 initially identified, three cases were found to involve work-related searches and have been excluded from the inquiry.”
No charges have been laid in relation to the three criminal investigations.
RNZ understands one of the staffers being investigated is an award-winning detective based in the Auckland region.
The detective, and police, have been approached for comment.
It’s understood he has been stood down.
Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@rnz.co.nz
It follows an audit of staff internet usage sparked by the resignation of former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming who recently pleaded guilty to possessing objectionable publications, including child sexual exploitation and bestiality over a four-year period.
Rogers told RNZ last week the staff that had been stood down were investigated for “serious matters” that ranged from potentially accessing objectionable material, or accessing inappropriate material while also subject to separate misconduct matters.
Some of the staff being investigated may have had legitimate purposes for accessing material, which police would verify through their inquiries.
“Criminal investigations are being conducted into three of the cases.”
Police were not able to disclose the ranks of those under investigation.
Rogers earlier confirmed to RNZ a police officer had been stood down from duty for “inappropriate content on a police device”.
“The officer is under employment investigation for serious misconduct, relating to inappropriate, but not objectionable, material on a police-issued device. The alleged misconduct was uncovered through following recent audits of staff internet usage.”
Police Commissioner Richard Chambers earlier told RNZ the misconduct being investigated was uncovered as a result of the new monitoring measures introduced following the rapid review of the settings for police devices, launched after McSkimming’s resignation.
“I sought that review because of my concern that such conduct was not being detected. This offers some reassurance that we now have the necessary tools to detect potentially inappropriate behaviour.”
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand