This request is made in the public interest. It concerns the justification for any expansion of Police powers,

Greetings,

 

This is a request under the Official Information Act 1982.

 

This request is made in the public interest. It concerns the justification for any expansion of Police powers, and the accountability framework where Police actions cause harm.

 

Our concern is that Police already hold substantial coercive powers, including detention, compelled compliance, use of force, tactical equipment, and enforcement powers. Before any further powers are supported or expanded, the public is entitled to know what evidence, risk assessment, and accountability framework exists.

 

Please provide the following information.

 

 1. Justification for further Police powers

 

Please provide all documents, briefings, advice, Cabinet papers, internal reports, or risk assessments that identify:

 

a. why Police require any further enforcement powers;  

b. what gaps in existing powers have been identified;  

c. whether existing powers have been audited for misuse, inconsistency, or harm;  

d. whether alternatives to expanded Police powers were considered.

 

2. Existing powers and accountability

 

Please provide all documents identifying:

 

a. who is accountable when Police action causes harm to a member of the public;  

b. the distinction between organisational accountability and individual officer accountability;  

c. any indemnity, insurance, liability, or Crown responsibility framework applying to Police officers;  

d. how members of the public may seek remedy where ACC does not fully address the harm suffered.

 

3. Use of force and decision recording

 

Please provide all policies, instructions, or guidance requiring Police to record:

 

a. TENR assessments;  

b. necessity and proportionality reasoning;  

c. decisions to detain, compel, restrain, remove, or use force;  

d. supervisory review or audit of those decisions.

 

If such recording is not required in any category, please confirm that expressly.

 

4. LRAD / sound devices at Wellington Parliament protest

 

Please provide all documents relating to the deployment or consideration of LRAD, sound cannon, or other acoustic devices during the 2022 Parliament protest, including:

 

a. authorisation records;  

b. risk assessments;  

c. health and safety assessments;  

d. legal advice or operational guidance, subject to any claimed withholding grounds;  

e. complaints, injury reports, or health-related reports connected with their use;  

f. any post-operation review of whether their use was necessary, proportionate, and lawful.

 

 5. Public-health mandate enforcement and public trust

 

Please provide all documents assessing the impact of Police involvement in public-health mandate enforcement, protest response, or mandate-related operations on:

 

a. public trust in Police;  

b. public perception of Police neutrality;  

c. consistency of Police practice across districts;  

d. complaints, harm, or use-of-force concerns arising from those operations.

 

 6. Regional consistency

 

Please provide all documents, reviews, audits, or guidance addressing consistency of Police practice across districts, including Wellington, Dunedin, Queenstown, and other districts, in relation to:

 

a. use of force;  

b. detention;  

c. complaint handling;  

d. roadside enforcement;  

e. operational discretion.

 

7. Confirmation where documents do not exist

 

If Police hold no documents for any part of this request, please state that clearly.

 

If no risk assessment, harm assessment, audit, or accountability review has been undertaken, please confirm that expressly.

 

Please provide the information electronically.

 

In good faith

Ann Kifo