A Canterbury police photographer has opened up about how he "documents the worst of humanity" for a job.
Senior Constable Tony Hickland has been a police officer for 19 years and a police photographer since 2018.
Hickland told Ten One Magazine it is "both a privilege and a responsibility" to be in a job that can change the course of an investigation.
"We document the worst of humanity, the poor decisions people make, and the trauma that people inflict on each other, but capturing those images is a vital part of any investigation."
Hickland makes the most of the new technology available to him and he has an acute eye for detail.
"It could be anything from a crash, a crime scene or injuries, to weapons or a body. These images support investigations and are used in court as evidence."
Photographers like Hickland have the skills of any professional photographer and the experience of a frontline police officer.
"We look for the obvious and the not so obvious,” he said.
"What looks out of place? What’s missing here?
"It’s certainly not for everyone, but knowing that the next photo I take could be the clincher in a crime and help hold an offender to account - that’s what continues to drive me."
