The NSW Police Commissioner has slammed a report that suggests there has been a dramatic increase in the number of strip searches. 

University of NSW researchers have found the number of field strip searches are now over 5000 compared with 277 in 2005/06.

The report concluded that although there has been a rise in the number of strip searches conducted, it is doing little to tackle serious drug crime.

The Police Commissioner Mick Fuller argues strip searches were only properly defined in 2005 and that only after were they were able to accurately record the number of cases.

He tells Ray Hadley they only conduct the searches when necessary.

“We strip search about 500 people a month in public places for a population of 8 million people, so you’d be struggling to find someone you know who we have ever strip-searched.

“This sort of concept that it’s increased 20 fold is just rubbish, in fact, the last 12 months have been on the decline slightly.”

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Image: Getty/ William West