NSW police watchdog routinely denied access to internal officer interviews, report finds

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission, which oversees NSW police, said it had been denied access to observe internal interviews following critical incidents. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian

The New South Wales police watchdog is routinely refused access to interview rooms when officers are being questioned after critical incidents, in a practice the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) has described as “consistent and state-wide”.

Despite the LECC Act providing power for investigators to be present as observers when officers are interviewed by superiors over such incidents, the oversight body said the power “appears to be … illusory” in its annual report handed down on Monday afternoon.