Police have a new tool in their fight against offending, with a new automated system that allows them to access driver licence photos.
Police say timely access to New Zealand Transport Agency driver licence photos will improve officers' ability to identify the people they interact with, and reduce the risk of offenders avoiding enforcement action.
"New Zealanders may be surprised to learn that previously when we ran a check against someone's driver licence we couldn't see the photo," said Assistant Commissioner of road policing Sandra Venables.
Using the new system which went live yesterday, police will be able to immediately check the identity of drivers in cases where a driver fails to produce their driver licence .
Police say access to the photo will reduce opportunities for unlicensed, disqualified, or suspended drivers to pass themselves off as legitimate licence holders.
Driver licence photos will also assist police to identify a person where necessary in other situations, such as when a person is disorderly or committing an offence.
"This information will make it easier for us to do our jobs, and will ultimately help to keep people safe," Ms Venables said.
Until 2017, police required a person's written consent or a warrant to access a driver licence photo.
An amendment in 2017 to the Land Transport Act authorises police to access driver licence photos for a law enforcement purpose.
Access under the law change was previously on a case by case basis.
The new automated system replaces a manual process and makes the information available to frontline officers 24/7, Ms Venables said.
This new system is part of the response to the Government inquiry into the Phillip John Smith/Traynor incident in which the convicted murderer and child sex offender fled to Brazil in 2014 while on temporary release from prison.
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