Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Clement defended the police handling of the gun buyback following a data breach that potentially exposed almost 500 people’s private information.

Ryan begins the interview by clarifying the number of dealers who were given unauthorised access to private information with the Deputy Commissioner confirming, “66 dealers were given access that they shouldn't have got in an effort to try and meet their needs with regard to their responsibility they had under the buyback.”

“One person according to the SAP audit has accessed the information that shouldn't have been accessible and that one person contacted us,” he said.

Asked if it was possible for the information to have been downloaded Clement denies it being possible to download but, “there’s the potential for that information to have been used in some way.”

We don’t have any evidence that it’s been used in any way.

Ryan asks the Deputy Commissioner to comment on reports that screenshots of the information have been made available, calling the reports “worrying” and asks people to come to the police with any information in that regard.

He says the focus is now to investigate whether those screenshots are a result of the access dealers were given.

Asked if claims from gun owning Magic listeners that the information is online on the dark web, Clement tells Ryan that he is not aware if that is true saying if it is, “of course it would worry me.”

“All I can do is encourage [listeners] to come forward to me so we can get that information so that we can get to the bottom of it.”

The Deputy Commissioner asks people to contact in confidence on 0800 311 311, Ryan then raises the concerns gun owners may have given that they have failed to protect this information satisfactorily.

Clement says he understands but defends the decision to use a global company given their reputation.

Ryan mentions that time pressures may have accelerated the decision making process decrying the Government's legislation that forced those time pressures upon police.

You can watch the full interview above.