NSW cops banned from using messaging apps in controversial move

NSW Police officers have been banned from using WhatsApp, social media or any messaging platforms other than SMS on work mobile phones under a controversial ruling by Commissioner Karen Webb.

NSW Police officers have been banned from using WhatsApp, social media or any messaging platforms other than SMS on work mobile phones under a controversial ruling by Commissioner Karen Webb.

About 17,000 officers have been ordered to strip their work-issued devices of all communication software, which Commissioner Webb said was a recommendation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) following a probe into allegations of cover up by senior police when an allegedly drunk cop crashed in the NorthConnex tunnel, last year.

The phone restrictions come just weeks after Commissioner Webb vowed to weed out the “faceless cowards” she claimed were leaking sensitive information in an attempt to destabilise her.

Multiple recommendations were made in LECC’s Operation Harrisdale report, which was released on July 18, but restricting phone use is the only one that has been adopted by Commissioner Webb at this stage.

NSW Police Force Commissioner Karen Webb NSW has banned police officers from using WhatsApp. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

A spokesperson for NSW Police said forcing officers to delete encrypted apps and use only SMS - which can be traced and recalled even after they’ve been deleted - was also part of a security software upgrade.

“With this software...social media and other personal apps will not work or be downloadable to NSWPF issued devices,” the spokesperson said.

But some frustrated cops said banning them from WhatsApp and Signal, or even Facebook messenger and Instagram, was impeding their work because they use the platforms to chase crooks as well as communicate with each other.

One cop said the move will force some officers to carry a ‘burner’ phone - a prepaid device that is difficult to trace, but so they can chat and message without the fear of scrutiny.

“We communicate with each other, with other investigators on the same job... Means we are going to have to get burners now and carry two phones,” one officer said.

Former police officer and now Independent MP Rod Roberts questioned whether this was another step by Commissioner Webb to “plug leaks”.

Amid the controversy over Commissioner Webb using taxpayer money to purchase bottles of gin to be given as gifts, she vowed to lodge a complaint with the NSW Police Professional Standards Command to root out leakers within the force.

About 17,000 officers have been ordered to strip their work-issued devices of all WhatsApp communication software. Picture: AFP/ Lionel Bonaventure

“This is clearly an attempt by Karen Webb to shut down and prevent anybody from talking to politicians, or journalists for that matter, because every call and text message will now be traceable,” Mr Roberts said.

Mr Roberts said police should be able to communicate with each other, as well as members of parliament or the media, without fear of retribution or scrutiny.

“I find it very interesting that of all the recommendations made by LECC, this is the only one she’s jumped onto,” he said.

A police spokesperson said the Professional Standards Command was “currently reviewing other LECC positions and opinions from that same report”.

In its final report on Operation Harrisdale, LECC found that “it became apparent that some officers had adopted the practice of deleting messages, records of messages and calls from encrypted applications”, although no adverse findings were made against the officers who adopted those practices.

“However, the Commission does recommend that the Commissioner of Police...issue guidance to her officers on the use of encrypted applications and the deletion of messages from police issued phones,” the report said.