Media Release - Operation Brugge Public Hearing

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission will hold a public hearing at 10am on Tuesday 22 October 2019 regarding the strip search of an underage female at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in July 2018 by NSW Police, and strip search practices more generally.

Media Release

23.09.2019

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING STRIP SEARCHING

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission will hold a public hearing at 10am on Tuesday 22 October 2019 regarding the strip search of an underage female at the Splendour in the Grass music festival in July 2018 by NSW Police, and strip search practices more generally.

The public hearing, part of Operation Brugge, will be held at the Commission’s hearing room, level 3, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. The hearing is expected to run for three days.

The general scope and purpose of the hearing will be whether:

(1) NSW Police Force officers engaged in serious misconduct during the detention and strip search of a 16-year old female person on 20 July 2018 at the “Splendour in the Grass” music festival, and

(2) there was conduct of the NSW Police Force in connection with the application of the laws relating to searches, including, in particular, strip searches, that is or could be unlawful or unreasonable. TtT

For further information, please contact the Commission’s media liaison below. Filming and recording will not be allowed in the hearing room or in Commission premises.

Please register your attendance via email: louisa.dear@lecc.nsw.gov.au.

Background

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission is an independent statutory body. The principal functions of the Commission are to detect, investigate and expose serious misconduct and serious maladministration within the NSW Police Force.

The Commission is separate from and completely independent of the NSW Police Force. The Commission will treat all information confidentially and has powers to protect persons who provide information to it.