CEO of Redfern Legal Centre Jo Shulman; Solicitor Samantha Lee, head of Redfern Legal Centre’s Police Accountability practice; Jane Sanders, Principal Solicitor at The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre; David Shoebridge MP, The Greens.
Legal experts, political representatives and strip-search victims came together in a panel discussion held by Redfern Legal Centre to discuss the details of strip search law, the excessive use of police power and the impacts of increased strip-search procedures on vulnerable communities.
The discussion, facilitated by the CEO of Redfern Legal Centre, Joanna Shulman, included head of Redfern Legal Centre’s Police Accountability Practice Samantha Lee, Principal Solicitor at The Shopfront Youth Legal Centre Jane Sanders and Greens MP David Shoebridge.
Samantha Lee kicked off the panel by explaining why the “Safe and Sound” campaign had been conceived.
“A lot of people who were strip-searched came into the clinic [Redfern Legal Centre] and as far as we were concerned, they had not been strip-searched according to law,” Ms Lee explained.
“We’d also realised that police had traumatised a number of our clients and we were concerned about the harm that was being created in the community through this policing practice.”
Ms Lee said that the campaign emphasises the need for a policing approach that minimises harm: “We want people to be safe and protected and for police to be approachable. This is the main aim of the campaign.”
The number of strip searches in NSW has increased from 3,753 in 2014-2015 to 5,483 in 2017-2018 – a 46 per cent increase in strip-searches across four years according to statistics from David Shoebridge.
Mr Shoebridge also highlighted the disproportionate impact that discretionary police powers in areas such as strip searches has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“When we talk about any discretionary power, we should acknowledge that the community that bears the brunt of it – whether it’s in Redfern or Campbelltown or Blacktown – is always first nations people,” Mr Shoebridge said.
Pamphlets outlining what constitutes a legal strip-search and when police are violating their powers were also provided at the event.
Read the full article here (City Hub, 22 May 2019)
