Civil libertarians are demanding an end to a Queensland police operation targeting youth crime in Mount Isa.

The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties told the ABC it would ask the privacy commissioner to investigate the legality of police photographing children found roaming the streets of the Queensland mining city.

The QCCL vice president, Terry O’Gorman, said he would also be writing to the police minister urging an end to Operation Tucson which had seen police stop children, record their names and addresses, where they’re going and often take their photos.

The state’s police minister, Mark Ryan, previously told the ABC he was not concerned about police photographing juveniles, and that officers always acted within the law.

The police service has also defended the practice, saying officers obtain consent from children before taking their pictures.

But the Youth Advocacy Centre director, Janet Wight, told the broadcaster she did not believe children could give informed consent because they didn’t understand how their images could be used. She also questioned under what authority the pictures were being shot.

“In general, fingerprinting and photographing can only happen once someone has been arrested … I’m completely floored by what authority the police believe they have,” she told the ABC.

“They’re supposed to have another adult there with them to make sure they’re treated appropriately by the police.