NORML EXPOSES UNDERCOVER COPS ON CAMPUS

Police are making no apologies for using undercover officers on the
University of Otago campus and say they will continue doing so.

Posters with pictures of plain-clothed officers working on campus and
labelled "Narks in our Class?" and "Narkiology 101. How to spot a
nark" appeared around the university on Monday.

One poster shows plain-clothed officers involved in the recent arrest
of three people at a National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws (Norml) stand at a Otago University Students Association market
day.

The other shows plain-clothed officers at a regular protest "smoke-up"
on campus.

The posters name the officers, give their badge numbers and ask people
who think there might be an undercover police officer in their class
to contact Norml.

Norml leader Abe Gray said he was not sure who had put the posters
together and posted them on the Norml website, from where they could
be downloaded, but he believed the images were taken from video
footage recently posted by Norml members on YouTube.

He said the posters had probably been put together because students
felt uncomfortable being under surveillance on campus.

From information police had divulged during various interactions with
them, it was believed they were also working undercover in lectures,
Mr Gray said.

Dunedin area police commander Inspector Dave Campbell said he was
disappointed, but not surprised, photographs of police officers were
posted on the Norml website.

Police were running an operation to stop offences against the Misuse
of Drugs Act on the university campus and, to date, as a result, had
issued nine trespass notices to non-students and three to people
enrolled at the university.

Those trespassers included known drug dealers, gang members or
associates and one secondary school pupil.

Insp Campbell said trespass notices were issued by police acting as an
agent of the university.

The 12 people issued with trespass notices had a total of 26 charges
pending before the courts for a variety of drug and other offences.

Plain-clothed and uniformed officers had been used in the operation
and a variety of policing methods would continue to be used, Insp
Campbell said.

"If people continue to use drugs on campus or incite others to break
the law they can expect attention from police."

A university spokesman said no-one was able to comment on
plain-clothed officers working on campus until today.