An internal audit conducted by the Police identified some irregularities in the number and frequency of computer checks an officer in Auckland made on the Police National Intelligence Application (NIA) database. NIA is a confidential source of information to be used and accessed only for the purpose of furthering policing objectives. Police notified the Authority and continued with their investigation. Police alleged that between 2017 and 2019 the officer made thousands of NIA checks, while on and off duty, that were not related to his work. Police also alleged that the officer was obtaining a financial gain from passing some of the information obtained to people with links to organised crime groups.
The officer was arrested and faced criminal charges. He later admitted accessing the NIA database for a dishonest purpose and in December 2019 he was convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment. He had earlier resigned from the Police.
IPCA: 18-2115