NSW Police Commissioner hits back at coroner's findings

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has hit back immediately against a coroner's findings into music festivals, saying any suggestion his officers contributed to the drug-related deaths of six young revellers "will be strongly defended by me."

The state's most senior police officer issued a statement backing law enforcement tactics at music festivals soon after a coroner released a set of findings over the spate of recent deaths that said policing methods at events potentially harmed punters rather than protected them.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said he will "strongly" defend any suggestion his officers contributed to the deaths of six young festival-goers.Credit: Joel Carrett

Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame called for policing at music festivals to be drastically rolled back, recommending that the use of sniffer dogs be scrapped and strip searching be constrained.

She urged Mr Fuller to direct his officers against taking a punitive approach to drug possession for personal use and rather concentrate operations on organised drug dealing, social disorder and other crimes.

A police sniffer dog on duty at this year's Splendour in the Grass music festival near Byron Bay.Credit: AAP

"There is significant evidence that intensive and punitive drug policing operations targeting users and low-level dealers generally work to increase, rather than decrease drug-related risks and harms," Ms Grahame said during her findings.

The coroner also called for the urgent implementation of pill testing trials, a drug summit and urged the state government to consider decriminalisation of drugs for personal use.

But Mr Fuller said, as police commissioner, he had the overall responsibility of coordinating the protection of NSW citizens. He said his officers saw the harmful effects of all forms of drugs on a daily basis and NSW Police remain committed to reducing the supply of illicit drugs throughout NSW, including at music festivals.

"The community cannot ignore the fact that music festivals create a concentrated market for drug supply and organised criminal groups," Mr Fuller said in the statement.

"It is truly tragic for these and many other young lives to have been cut short due to drugs, however any suggestion police were implicit in these deaths will be strongly defended by me."

He said police were actively involved in government initiatives to prevent drug-related harm, prompting him to lead the trial of on-the-spot fines for small quantities of drugs found at festivals.

Ms Grahame said it was contradictory the commissioner also supported an approach "which mandates large numbers of young people being inspected by dogs, strip searched and questioned for a possible transgression which, even if confirmed, can be treated less seriously than some minor traffic offences."