‘Some private computer-use’

Press, 18 June 1986, Page 1

‘Some private computer-use’

By

MARTIN FREETH

in Wellington Police officers misuse personal information stored in the Wanganui computer but this happens only occasionally and not for criminal purposes. This is the finding of the computer centre’s privacy commissioner, Mr Paul Molineaux, who has recommended improved police training and a tighter law against unofficial use of information. Mr Molineaux investigated unofficial and private use of the computer after a retired Christchurch police sergeant al-

leged in. February “that misuse was fairly common — from finding out the names of women seen in cars to supplying information to repossession agents. After interviewing a cross-section of police with frequent access to the computer, Mr Molineaux has concluded “some degree of private use of the computer is made by some members of the police from time to time.” He blames attitudes that have developed out of routine access to computer information.

“In the' final analysis, the attitude that is considered most likely to prevail when a private use of the computer is contemplated is that as long as the information is not passed on, the transaction is not regarded as being of very great significance. If such an attitude is held, it is clearly misguided,” Mr Molineaux says; in a report presented to Parliament yesterday. The report does not recommend restricting access to the computer but amendment of the Wanganui Computer Centre Act, 1976, to ensure that unauthorised or unofficial use of information becomes an offence punishable by up to two years jail.

The-Commissioner'TDf - Police, Mr Ken Thompson, said last evening that he supported that and would consider other recommendations by Mr Molineaux that departmental instructions be redrafted to prohibit police from retrieving or using information for private or unofficial use. Mr Thompson also noted a recommendation for more training on an individual’s rights to privacy. Mr Molineaux investigated the issue on his own initiative through confidential interviews with a sample of officers and civilian computer opera-.

tors from throughout New Zealand. He was unable to follow up the allegations of the retired sergeant because the latter did not wish to become involved.

The report says that in the last five years there have been 10 Cases where internal disciplinary action was taken for misuse of the computer. Six of these were for unauthorised disclosure of information under an existing , provision of the centre’s act, but prosecutions were not taken.

Mr Molineaux says he could not gauge the frequency of misuse in his investigation.

“Unofficial retrievals or private use of information obtained from the computer was most likely to take place in respect of motor-vehicles and owner identification. "There was no evidence of criminal use or that information obtained from the computer was being put to a criminal purpose.”

While Mr Molineaux says there is no suggestion of payment or other reward for supply of information from the computer, there is some indication that it may be used by the police in secondary employment. He says he intends to study that aspect more fully later.

Mr Molineaux discusses in the report a “climate”

that could have developed for misuse of the computer in spite of explicit rules against it.

When an officer is routinely using his access to information and is familiar with the system, “it is but a small threshold to cross if the officer wishes to make the same query to satisfy a personal whim, or his curiosity not in the line of duty, or some other ulterior motive,” he says.

Furthermore, he has found that officers sometimes have a lack of full awareness on the importance of privacy to individual citizens.

Mr Molineaux says restrictions of access to the computer are a difficult issue because information is an indispensable part of the police officer’s equipment.

Mr Thompson said he had “jealously maintained police integrity in use of the computer.”

“There is often a fine line between inquiries made in the course of duty by a police officer and those made out of personal interest, and the boundaries must be constantly defined and emphasised.” Mr Thompson said the introduction of identity cards with magnetic strips to eliminate the use of false codes by police gaining access to the computer was not considered viable.

Mr Molineaux’s report recommends that priority be given to bringing in such cards, as envisaged by an earlier study group.