An internal investigation is under way after police staff were found to be searching the main database for details about Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming's death, the Police Association said.
Lyn Fleming died in the early hours of New Year's Day, after she was hit by a car while on a routine foot patrol in the early hours of the morning.
Stuff has reported Deputy Commissioner frontline operations Tania Kura sent a memo to staff on Tuesday that said it was "abundantly clear" some staff were misusing the National Intelligence Application (NIA) which was "a serious breach of the New Zealand Police Code of Conduct".
"Alarmingly, and disrespectfully, we have found people randomly checking the files on the devastating incident in Nelson," it read.
President Chris Cahill said the association understood it was alleged there were a number of breaches around the use of the National Intelligence Application to identify those involved in the tragic incident.
"We are aware of a number of members who have been able to supply reasons that are legitimate for why they looked up the people they did, others may not have legitimate reasons so we will work through that with police. But it needs to looked at in the context of a pretty traumatic event and any response needs to be proportionate."
Cahill said the number of staff involved was "in the tens, rather than the hundreds".
He said breaches of the police policy for using the database occurred from time to time, around significant events.
"It's clear that some people don't understand the policy as clearly as they should, but obviously individuals will be treated differently depending on what the breach was, their explanation for it and whether there was any history behind them as far as previous breaches go."
Cahill said it should serve as a learning opportunity for the wider membership to learn lessons around the appropriate use of the database, to prevent further breaches.
Police have been contacted for comment.
