NSW Police Prohibited from Accessing Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal

Officers of New South Wales (NSW) Police will now be unable to use encrypted messaging apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal on their work phones, as well as lesser-known ones such as Wickr, Wire, and LINE. This change comes as new security software has been installed, preventing the operation of such apps on their devices. Additionally, the installation will block any future downloads of encrypted messaging apps. Around 17,000 officers have been directed to remove all communication software from their official phones. Moving forward, the phones will only allow access to approved systems and applications for all users, according to a spokesperson for NSW Police.

Officers are now limited to using SMS, which can be traced and recalled even after deletion. The spokesperson mentioned, “With this software … social media and other personal apps will not work or be downloadable [on officer’s work phones].”

Damning LECC Report

This change follows two findings of serious misconduct against a high-ranking detective by NSW’s Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC). One finding revolved around the detective allegedly leaving a crash scene in Sydney’s NorthConnex tunnel in 2023 to avoid being breath-tested. The second finding focused on the officer’s dishonesty regarding their alcohol use in an insurance claim made after the crash, where he claimed to have “fallen asleep” at the wheel.

During the investigation, the LECC discovered that some officers were deleting messages, message records, and calls from encrypted applications. It was believed that this practice was implemented to avoid producing records for the public record, prompting the LECC to recommend that NSW Police assess if this was in line with official record-keeping policies. They also suggested giving guidance on the use of encrypted apps on work phones.

Subsequent to the investigation, Police Commissioner Karen Webb referred concerns about officers using encrypted messaging services to NSW Police’s Public Affairs Branch. The Operation Harrisdale report, released on July 18, made numerous suggestions, with restricting phone use being the only one currently adopted by the commissioner.

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NSW Police has stated that its Professional Standards Command is currently reviewing other positions and opinions from the same LECC report. In 2023, at the request of police and other law enforcement agencies, the NSW government introduced new laws aimed at addressing the use and possession of encrypted devices used by criminals to evade law enforcement. The maximum penalty for this offense is three years imprisonment. AAP contributed to this report.