Cop TV brings in the cash
NSW Police received nearly $700,000 in 2007/08 from producers making entertainment from policing.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
A second story has emerged today on the cosy relationship between police and production companies making television programmes.
In December the Daily Telegraph drew attention to the fact that some television crews were given access over and above other media, thanks to commercial deals in place.
Now the same newspaper reports figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws show that the amount being paid in commercial filming deals to NSW police has increased 525 per cent in only three years.
NSW Police was paid $692,397 for the 2007-08 financial year alone by television and movie producers.
The documents stated the force was paid for “filming supervision and involvement”, including police vehicles and overtime. Other services included the use of police stations and uniforms for filming.
It named the main programs involved: Forensic Investigators, The Force, Crash Investigation Unit (all Seven) and Nine’s Missing Persons Unit.
Lawyer Dennis Miralis, partner in criminal law firm Nyman Gibson Stewart, said TV crews were not restricted by procedure that governed police in cautioning suspects, and they were also not covered by search warrants to enter private property with police during raids.
“You can’t get good policing and entertainment working functionally side by side,” he said.
Source: Daily Telegraph
2 Responses
I worry about conflict of interest and whether police,fire,vets etc can pull eps of air if it shows them in poor light etc..
And I expect it will only increase in the future. I wonder how much those animal lovers make with Bondi Vet, RSPCA Animal Rescue, The Zoo, Outback Wildlife Rescue, and all those thousands of other animal factuals. Those lifeguards would be rolling in the cash as well.