The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission's 'Operation Dukono' report released in late March by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) detailed complaints made in January 2018.

It is estimated up to 500 people and 300 vehicles entering Mannus Correctional Centre were searched unlawfully and without "reasonable suspicion that the persons committed offence", between September 2016 and February 2018.

The report detailed that in "early 2017, senior officers of the NSW [Police Force] directed other officers to 'boost business target numbers' and have officers search visitors in the car park of the [Mannus Correctional Centre]."

The LECC also heard allegations that the searches were recorded incorrectly into the police database, known as the Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS).

COPS is a closed online record of police interactions in NSW. It holds detailed information on millions of victims, offenders and incidents that can be accessed by officers across NSW.

Following the inquiry, the LECC ordered the records tallied during Operation Mannus to be "immediately corrected" to avoid misrepresenting the actions of innocent people.

"COPS is available to police who might have future interactions with the persons mentioned," the report states.

"It is possible that an officer might reasonably suspect, say, drug possession but nothing is found after searching.

"The mere fact, however, that other police had such a reasonable suspicion is not only adverse to the character of the person, but might be used as 'intelligence' to justify another search."

As a result, the police watchdog has recommended officers be retrained in the use of the computer database.

"Police should be given adequate instructions on the necessity for COPS to reflect actual occurrences and contain no misleading information," the report reads.

At the time of Operation Mannus in 2017, both Tumbarumba and Khancoban police stations came under the jurisdiction of Albury Local Area Command.

Since relocating to the Riverina Police District in February 2018, the report concluded the "searches ceased".

The police stations represent two small operations within the Riverina Police District, with three officers working out of Tumbarumba and one in Khancoban.

Although he would not comment on the inquiry Riverina Police District Superintendent Bob Noble applauded the character of the officers throughout the hearings and in dealing with their communities at large.

"The team at Tumbarumba [and] Khancoban are some of the finest officers I have had the pleasure of working with," Superintendent Noble said.

"Their commitment to community policing and public safety are exemplary."

While the LECC concluded that the searches did not comprise a "serious police misconduct on the part of an individual officer", it did conclude a "failure of management and training".

The police watchdog has recommended re-training of officers "so that police are aware of the limits of their powers and visitors to correctional centres are not subjected to further unauthorised searches".

State minister for police and emergency services, David Elliott, told The Daily Advertiser via a statement that the directive will be given priority.

"I understand that there were no findings of serious police misconduct against the officers in this matter and that the Commissioner of Police has agreed to provide training to police officers on their powers in special 'proactive' policing operations such as these," Mr Elliott said.