Two words and four numbers tell us it’s time to reform police strip-search powers. We'll come to the numbers shortly, but the two words are squat and cough. This humiliating practice is a cavity search, not a strip search. The law defines a cavity search as a "forensic procedure" that only a court can order a medical practitioner to conduct.

Yet our research shows that police are routinely directing people to remove the bottom half or all of their clothing, to "squat and cough" in the hope of revealing secreted items. Police may believe using "squat and cough" complies with the law on strip searches by avoiding visually inspecting, or touching, a person’s cavities. We say it is unlawful.

The legal definition of strip search is broad and vague and doesn’t guide police. In practice, being directed to take off all, or some, of your clothes can amount to a strip search. So can an officer looking down your top or pants to your underwear or genitals, or asking you to lift an item of clothing to reveal your body. Our review of the law across Australia and elsewhere concludes NSW law needs a clearer definition.

Our research also shows that police are confused about the application of the law. NSW law allows a strip search to be used if it is "necessary for the purpose of the search" and must be "in serious and urgent circumstances that make it necessary". We have found this intrusive search is taking place in circumstances that are neither serious nor urgent.

Judges have expressed concern that police are not considering the necessary legal criteria they must apply. For example, by not considering alternatives such as a "general" (pat) search, or by strip-searching someone for having small quantities of drugs for personal use. Our report outlines examples of long-held concerns that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are being strip-searched unlawfully in humiliating circumstances for concerning reasons.