A legal advocacy group has launched a mobile app in Dubbo to target alleged police harassment of Indigenous people in the city.

Copwatch includes a recording function that allows users to automatically alert selected contacts, such as a friend or parent, when filming an interaction with police.

The National Justice Project's (NJP) head solicitor George Newhouse said the decision to roll out the technology in the town comes after complaints of police mistreatment of Aboriginal children.

He said these concerns are further exacerbated by controversial New South Wales Police intelligence software that targets repeat offenders or those likely to commit crimes, known as the Suspect Target Management Plan.

The app was first introduced in Broken Hill last year after the National Justice Project raised more than $60,000 to deliver the program.

Dr Newhouse said he hopes the app and educational website will help members of Indigenous communities know their rights when dealing with what he described as the "hardline stance" of police.

"Copwatch is a way of empowering young people in a legal and safe way, and that's why we chose Dubbo," Dr Newhouse said.

Police reject claims of heavy-handedness

Orana Mid-Western Police District commander Peter McKenna said he had no problem with people recording encounters if it did not interfere with police work.

"Our frontline police are doing exactly what this app will be doing, and that is video and audio recording their interactions with the community, especially at times of arrest," Superintendent McKenna said.



The Copwatch app will be rolled out nationally. ( ABC Western Plains: Lucy Thackray )

He said he would have liked to speak at the Copwatch workshop held at the Dubbo Aboriginal Land Council on Friday to "dispel any myths that there is any type of targeting or hardline police approach".

Supt McKenna hit back at the National Jutice Project's accusations about the unfair targeting of young Indigenous people, and said police were working to strengthen their relationship with the Aboriginal community.

'No good memories'

But that has not been the experience for Ngali Shaw of Dubbo.

He alleged police have unfairly singled him out around town, from walking down the street to shopping at the supermarket.

"It's been terrible, I don't think I've ever had a good memory with police," Mr Shaw said

Copwatch aims to give Aboriginal communities the legal and media knowledge to film encounters with authorities. ( ABC News: Sofie Wainwright )

Dubbo woman MaryAnn Hozier said the forum has instilled her with confidence, and said the app would serve as a "wonderful tool for our mob".

"They are going to feel like they've got someone there that's going to care that they've been taken to the lock-up," Ms Hozier said.

She said she has seen cases of "blatant racism" by police and pub management around Dubbo.