An undercover officer dressed as a window washer, was reported looking for people using cellphones at the wheel or running red lights. Photo: 123RF
Police admit an undercover sting involving an officer dressed as a car window washer was inappropriate.
Police were at a Manurewa intersection in Auckland on Wednesday morning where an undercover officer was dressed as a window washer. The officer was looking for people using cellphones at the wheel or running red lights.
Footage given to Today FM showed a civilian confronting the undercover officer. In turn, the civilian was then approached by three uniformed police who asked him to move away.
In a statement, Inspector Tony Wakelin said police acknowledge the impersonation was not appropriate and staff will be told to stop.
Window washing cars on the road is itself an offence, with Parliament passing a law in 2017 making it illegal, carrying a $150 fine.
"There are lessons here for our staff on the appropriate way to conduct these operations in future and I will be ensuring those conversations will be had," Wakelin said.
Wakelin said both offences they were looking out for cause death and serious injuries on our roads.
There have been 20 road-related deaths in Counties Manukau so far this year, he said.
"Police regularly carry out operations targeting red light runners because we know the danger this type of behaviour poses."
Wakelin added the use of plain clothes police to watch for these offences was a standard operating tactic to prevent death and serious injury.
In 2021, the Government hiked the infringement fee for using a cellphone while driving to $150.
"Between 2015 and 2019, there were 22 road deaths in New Zealand and 73 serious injuries where drivers were distracted by a mobile phone.
"This is likely to be under-reported as it can be difficult for police to detect phone use when they attend crashes", Minister for Transport Michael Wood said at the time.