{"id":565104,"date":"2026-08-10T22:38:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T22:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/565104\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T22:38:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T22:38:10","slug":"police-officers-online-search-for-pornography-revealed-in-court-docs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/565104\/","title":{"rendered":"Police officer\u2019s online search for pornography revealed in court docs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>An Auckland officer used his work devices to search for pornographic material for more than two years.<\/p>\n<p>By Sam Sherwood of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rnz.co.nz\/news\/crime-and-justice\/950712\/police-officer-matthew-rogers-online-search-for-pornographic-material-revealed-in-documents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">RNZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Matthew Rogers appeared in the Manukau District Court on Friday before Judge Luke Radich where he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.1news.co.nz\/2026\/08\/07\/akl-police-officer-pleads-guilty-to-possessing-objectionable-publication\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pleaded guilty<\/a> to a representative charge of possessing an objectionable publication.<\/p>\n<p>He will be sentenced in October.<\/p>\n<p>The summary of facts was released to RNZ on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The court document says Rogers, who joined police in 1986, was a Senior Sergeant employed as a district shift commander in Auckland&#8217;s District Command Centre.<\/p>\n<p>In October 2025, police carried out a rapid review of staff internet usage sparked by the resignation of former deputy police commissioner Jevon McSkimming, after child sexual exploitation and bestiality material were found on his work devices.<\/p>\n<p>This revealed that between August 2023 and October 2025, Rogers used a police-issued device to conduct searches for pornographic and sexualised material.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Further forensic analysis identified nine images that matched previously classified Category 2B Child Sexual Abuse Material.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;These images are assessed as objectionable publications. These images were not downloaded but were viewable on the Defendant&#8217;s electronic device.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>After Rogers entered the search term on Google, he would be shown a series of thumbnails.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He would then have been able to scroll through the images and potentially stop or linger on an image he wished to view.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The searches occurred over an extended period, including while Rogers was on duty and using police systems, with no lawful purpose.<\/p>\n<p>Nine images of Category 2B Child Sexual Abuse Material were located.<\/p>\n<p>The court document lists nine search phrases Rogers used. Each of the searches returned a high number of images that were pornographic without being objectionable.<\/p>\n<p>The searches included &#8220;nude teen&#8221;, &#8220;nip slip drunk&#8221; and &#8220;tiny teen nude&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Each of the nine searches returned an image with at least one naked female aged between 14 and 17.<\/p>\n<p>Rogers was spoken to by police during a search warrant at his home on October 16.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;He acknowledged using his police-issued device to conduct personal internet searches.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Rogers has one previous traffic-related conviction dating back to 1990.<\/p>\n<p>Rogers was one of three police staff to be charged following the rapid review.<\/p>\n<p>Another Auckland-based officer, a man in his 60s, faces 11 charges of possessing an objectionable publication.<\/p>\n<p>He has been granted interim name suppression.<\/p>\n<p>A Wellington-based officer, aged in his 50s, also faces 10 charges of possessing an objectionable publication between January 2024 and January 2025.<\/p>\n<p>He has interim name suppression.<\/p>\n<p>Acting Deputy Commissioner Tim Anderson earlier said each of the officers were being charged with multiple counts of possessing an objectionable publication, under the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Prosecution of our own staff is a serious but important step to take as it recognises the significance of the alleged offending that has been identified.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I would like to acknowledge the professionalism and commitment by our investigators in the National Integrity Unit for their work to this point.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Anderson said the investigations had involved the analysis of a &#8220;significant volume of web activity&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is important we now let these matters progress to the court process, which limits the level of information we can provide at this point.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;These three police staff remain stood down from duties. Meanwhile, three investigations remain ongoing as part of the rapid review.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Police have investigated 22 cases, 12 have been resolved through either disciplinary action or performance management. Four people have resigned during this process, Anderson said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-greyDarkFaded\">The morning&#8217;s headlines in 90 seconds, including St John braces for another hectic day, and a Brazilian footballers goal celebration goes bad. (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An Auckland officer used his work devices to search for pornographic material for more than two years. 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