COVID-19 Lockdown - Police oversight
Mark Hanna made this Official Information request to Poto Williams
The request was successful.
From: Mark Hanna
Tēnā koe,
I am writing to you in your role as Minister of Police.
Over the past week, multiple instances of what appear to be NZ Police abusing the greater powers afforded to them during the current increased COVID-19 Alert Level have been made public.
One such event involved a number of police officers forcing four kaitiaki who had formed a bubble at their place of residence in Pūtiki Bay to leave. Police officers had undertaken significant protest suppression activities at Pūtiki Bay prior to the current COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown. I am aware that both yourself and Police Commissioner Andrew Coster were questioned about this at a recent sitting of the Justice Select Committee.
The other event was when a member of the public recently filmed a group of police using significant force against another member of the public during COVID-19 Alert Level 4. In the video, three officers continued to approach the person making the recording for some time after he asked them clearly “Could you keep your distance please?”
I am concerned that these officers chose to put the member of the public’s safety at risk by continuing to approach him, with the intent of effectively forcing him to move away from the events he was attempting to film.
I am particularly concerned that police officers abusing their powers during increased COVID-19 Alert Levels may be undermining confidence in the public health restrictions Police are meant to be enforcing.
Please release the following information:
1. What additional oversight of Police activities has been put in place during the current increased COVID-19 Alert Level?
2. What advice have you received regarding what additional oversight of Police activities may be necessary during increased COVID-19 Alert Levels?
Please provide this information in an accessible, searchable format.
If any part of my request is unclear, please don't hesitate to contact me.
As my request relates directly to police accountability during the current COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, I ask that you please treat my request as urgent.
Ngā mihi,
Mark Hanna
From: P Williams (MIN)
Poto Williams
Kia Orana,
On behalf of Hon Poto Williams, Minister for Building and Construction,
Minister of Police, Associate Minister for Children and Associate Minister
for Housing (Public Housing), thank you for your email.
Please accept this email as acknowledgment of receipt of you
correspondence. Please be assured that all correspondence is read and
considered.
Requests to meet with the Minister or have the Minister attend an event
will be considered, and a staff member will get back to you as soon as
possible.
If you have a media query, please contact Georgina O'Reilly
georgina.o'[email address]
If your correspondence is to the Member of Parliament for Christchurch
East, please contact her electorate office at
[email address]
Please note that if your email expresses a personal view or is copied to
multiple Members of Parliament your views will be noted and there may be
no further correspondence.
Thank you for the taking the time to write.
Regards, Office of Hon Poto Williams
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From: P Williams (MIN)
Poto Williams
Tēnā koe Mark
Reference: OIA 2021- 240
On behalf of Minister Poto Williams, Minister of Police, thank you for your email of 29 August 2021, in which you submitted an Official Information Act request as follow:
"1. What additional oversight of Police activities has been put in place during the current increased COVID-19 Alert Level?
2. What advice have you received regarding what additional oversight of Police activities may be necessary during increased COVID-19 Alert Levels?."
Minister Williams is considering your request in accordance with the Act, and will respond in due course.
Ngā mihi
Moana Fuli
Private Secretary, Executive Support | Office of Hon Poto Williams
DDI: 04 817 8724 | Email: [email address]
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Poto Williams, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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From: Mark Hanna
Tēnā koe,
Can you please confirm for me that this request is on schedule to receive a response as soon as reasonably practicable?
As of today, only three working days remain before the latest date by which you must communicate you decision to me, barring any extension under section 15A of the OIA, and the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown still in place in Auckland is due to end at 11:59pm tonight.
I clearly asked when I initially made this request on August 29 that it be treated as urgent, as it relates directly to police accountability during the current COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, but so far I have heard nothing from your office since our exchange over the initial acknowledgement of my request.
However, I do not believe my request has been treated with any urgency.
Ngā mihi,
Mark Hanna
From: Moana Fuli
Kia ora Mark
Please find attached response to your OIA request from the Hon Poto Williams, Minister of Police.
Ngā mihi,
Moana Fuli
Private Secretary, Executive Support | Office of Hon Poto Williams
DDI: 04 817 8724 | Email: [email address]
Private Bag 18041, Parliament Buildings, Wellington 6160, New Zealand
Authorised by Hon Poto Williams, Parliament Buildings, Wellington
Disclaimer: The information in this email (including attachments) is confidential and may be legally privileged. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this email, please notify the author by replying to this email and destroy the message. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, copying or distribution is prohibited and may be unlawful.
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From: Ministerial Services
Tēnā koe Mark
I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act (OIA) request below, received by New Zealand Police on 22 September 2021.
Your request is being actioned pursuant to the OIA. You can expect a response to your request on or before 20 October 2021.
Kind regards, Michelle
Ministerial Services PNHQ
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From: Ministerial Services
Kia ora Mark
Please find attached the response to your Official Information Act
request, received by New Zealand Police on 22 September 2021.
Kind regards, Brittany
Ministerial Services PNHQ
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WARNING
The information contained in this email message is intended for the
addressee only and may contain privileged information. It may also be
subject to the provisions of section 50 of the Policing Act 2008, which
creates an offence to have unlawful possession of Police property. If you
are not the intended recipient of this message or have received this
message in error, you must not peruse, use, distribute or copy this
message or any of its contents.
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