Copwatch: Australia’s First Community Accountability Project
Copwatch – Australia’s First Community
Accountability Project Ready to
Roll
21 August 2017 – For Immediate
Release
Australia’s first-ever Copwatch
workshop will take place in Broken Hill today, Monday 21
August, organised by The National Justice Project
(NJP).
Copwatch will empower Aboriginal youth
to use their smartphones to document police interactions.
The program encourages people to lawfully and effectively
use video for evidence and in campaigns for justice and
accountability.
NJP Principal Solicitor George
Newhouse said today: “We are launching the Copwatch
program in Broken Hill because of the overwhelming demand
from the local community. We are looking forward to offering
legal advice and media skills to the
participants.”
“Copwatch will give Aboriginal
people the tools to publicly expose misconduct and keep
police accountable. We believe that relations between the
police and Aboriginal people can be improved through this
process. It gives Aboriginal people a chance to document
their experiences and show the rest of Australia what life
is like in these communities. Research shows that all
parties behave better when they know they are being
filmed.”
"Video technology is cheaper than ever, and
most people carry cameras on them all the time. Citizen
video is compelling and the possibilities are endless. It
can be used to record police encounters, for environmental
campaigns, and to document housing problems. Transparency
discourages misconduct and improves decision-making and
governance."
“We are excited to bring our team of
human rights lawyers and media professionals to Broken Hill.
We look forward to working with Aboriginal people, and
getting their feedback,” said Newhouse.
Des
Jones, the Chairperson of Murdi Paaki Regional
Assembly, said, “We have real concerns about the
intimidation and harassment of Aboriginal youth. NSW Police
seem to be targeting local Aboriginal children – it feels
like they are being discriminated against. We want a better
relationship with police but we feel we are being ignored
when what we really need is engagement.”
“Our
complaints have been met with a cut and paste response from
the NSW Police. We are excited by Copwatch, because video
evidence will help to ensure that the police will take our
complaints seriously,” said Jones.
Copwatch also
aims to build relationships between local Aboriginal people
and journalists, so participants can use video to advocate
for social change and make their voices heard.
Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist
Amy McQuire, who is traveling with
Copwatch, said: “Policing in regional NSW has always been
really problematic, there’s always been a tense
relationship between Aboriginal communities and police.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of awareness about the
issues that these communities face, and often they’re very
ill-served by the media. This is an opportunity to give
Aboriginal communities a bit of empowerment, and the tools
when things do happen to fight back. I think Copwatch will
be a good opportunity to teach Aboriginal communities about
their rights.”
Further workshops are scheduled in
Redfern, Alice Springs and Kalgoorlie. An additional 16
groups across the country have also requested Copwatch
workshops.