Enoka said the police had clear protocols around information security and in this case they were not followed.

“We recognize that our people are human and that this was an unintentional error, but we will thoroughly debrief and use the lessons learned to prevent this from happening in the future.”

A spokesperson for Luxon’s office declined to comment on the breach.

Security expert Ross Meurant told Herald the incident constitutes a violation of the level of security that should be applied to VIPs.

“In this case, I don’t think it’s major.”

He said the situation could have been more serious if it had involved other high-profile politicians who provoked extreme views from some members of the public, such as Jacinda Ardern or David Seymour.

“Due to their profiles, this would be a more serious offense.”

Meurant said, “I would have a conversation with the cop who made the mistake” if he were in charge.

This is the second embarrassing incident police have faced this weekend following the publication of photographs of an officer wearing a gang patch just three days after the controversial gang patch ban came into force.

Two photographs of a police officer wearing a vest with the Mangu Kaha gang crest visible have been shared with the Herald yesterday and widely distributed online.

The officer appeared to pose for the camera, showing the front and back of the vest worn over his blue police uniform.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell described the photos as disappointing but said police would take the incident seriously.

“I was informed that the officer had come forward to take responsibility and that the image was allegedly taken in June.

“I’m sure the officer involved feels bad about letting his colleagues down.”

Mitchell said police would follow an “internal process” to determine what further action would be taken.

The images sparked criticism on social media, with some commenters saying they showed double standards, after police just started arresting people for wearing the patches last week.

Ihi Research director Dr Catherine Leonard said the gang photos were “problematic and would perpetuate the cycle of mistrust”.

A report on “Police Interactions with Gang Communities” by Ihi Research found that new patch laws could undermine progress made in building trust between gangs and police, without reduce crime rates.

“Our evidence shows the need for a relationship policing approach.

“It’s free from antagonism, it builds trust and mutual respect between police and gang communities,” Leonard said.

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