RLC in the media

NSW police are under scrutiny after data obtained by the Redfern Legal Centre shows a rise in strip-searches of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Amelia Tan reports for ABC News

Despite everything else this year has thrown at us, it seems the controversial strip-searching of children by New South Wales’ police continues unabated. As The Guardian’s Michael McGowan has noted, 96 have been searched in 2020, with some as young as eleven.

Disturbing new data from NSW Police shows the deeply invasive – and potentially illegal – practice of strip-searching is still disproportionately targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, some of which are children as young as 11. Michael Di Iorio writes for Pedestrian TV.

Indigenous children continue to be disproportionately targeted with strip-searches, making up about 21 per cent of all people aged between 10 and 17 years old strip-searched in the past financial year. Glen Bartholomew speaks to Police Accountability Solicitor, Samantha Lee, for ABC News Radio.

The ‘funding cuts’ protest on 14 October was yet another demonstration of passionate, peaceful students’ action. Except that this one received media coverage for all the wrong reasons. Professor Simon Rice writes for Honi Soit

Leetona Dungay addresses upper house inquiry saying law should be changed to help stop black deaths in custody

Marisa Sposaro speaks to Samantha Lee, Police Accountability Solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, for Doin Time on 3cr Radio.

Nearly $90 million of taxpayer money has been paid out by NSW Police in hundreds of civil claims alleging police brutality, unlawful searches and illegal arrests over the last four financial years, NewsLocal reveals. Jake McCallum, reports for NewsLocal (Daily Telegraph)

New data reveals Indigenous people in NSW regional communities are excessively targeted with “invasive” police strip searches. Mikele Syron reports for NITV News

An internal review examining the use of police Body Worn Video (BWV) in NSW has concluded police should retain discretion about when to activate their BWV cameras, citing privacy concerns. But RLC solicitor Samantha Lee says that it is in everyone's interest that all police interactions with the public are recorded. Damien Carrick reports for the Law Report, ABC Radio National.