Media Release - Operation Gennaker Public Hearing

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING STRIP SEARCHING

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission will hold a public hearing at 10am on 2 December 2019 regarding the strip searching of several young people at the Lost City music festival on 23 February 2019, and strip search practices more generally

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

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

(1) NSW Police Force officers failed to comply with the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (LEPRA) during the strip searching of several young people at the Lost City music festival on 23 February 2019; and

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

LECC Chief Commissioner, the Hon Michael Adams QC, is presiding at the public hearing.

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.