Electronic Operations in Practice

Question 1

Role of Central Monitoring Centre (CMC),

Answer 1

The CMC is a service centre for electronic interception for NZ Police. It was established in 2005 to support districts in running electronic operations. It is located at a discrete location in Wellington. District Drug Squad, Covert Operation Group and Organised Crime Units have excellent working relationships with the CMC. On a daily basis the CMC provides district investigative teams with an application called ‘’4Sight UCM’.

Question 2

4Sight UCM.

Answer 2

‘4Sight UCM’ is a software programme containing all lawfully intercepted private communications from operation targets. These are accessed electronically by the evidential transcriber, whose role is to transcribe the conversations in a timely manner and complete workflow requirements within 4Sight UCM. This person is often assisted by other staff to prepare draft transcripts, where there are high volumes of interceptions to be reviewed and/or transcribed.

Question 3

Disclosure of interceptions

Answer 3

Intercepted communications may be relevant by definition but withheld by police on one or a combination of the following grounds:
* information which is likely to prejudice the maintenance of law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences
* disclosure of the information is likely to endanger the safety of any person or people
* disclosure of the information is likely to prejudice the security or defence of New Zealand.
* disclosure of personal and private information
* disclosure of privileged information

Question 4

Relevancy defined.

Answer 4

Relevancy is defined in the Criminal Disclosure Act 2008: “relevant, in relation to information or an exhibit, means information or an exhibit, that tends to support or rebut, or has a material bearing on the case against the defendant.”

Question 5

Evidential transcripts.

Answer 5

Analysis of the intercepted communications, (also referred to as ‘sessions’), are painstaking, and require patience, dedication and attention to detail. Each session is carefully analysed and a transcript of all relevant evidence is made. The evidential transcript must be a verbatim copy of the recorded version of the conversation. However, when it is presented to the Court, the recording will be played back in such a manner that extraneous or inadmissible evidence is not disclosed.