Police in 39 data protection law breaches (From Gazette & Herald)
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North Yorkshire Police in 39 data protection law breaches
8:10am Wednesday 5th January 2011 in News
NORTH Yorkshire police officers and staff breached data protection laws 39 times in the past three years, the force has revealed.
In response to a Freedom of Information request, North Yorkshire Police said the incidents included officers and staff conducting checks of private telephone numbers, obtaining personal data without consent, accessing personal and custody records “inappropriately and without good reason” and attempting to secure unauthorised access to computer programmes and data.
In February 2009, one PCSO was accused of misusing systems to pass information on to local criminals and an officer looked up a motor vehicle he was in the process of buying to check if there were any outstanding reports relating to it.
North Yorkshire and York NHS Trust, who had a similar FOI request, said it had not disciplined any of its staff for illegally or inappropriately accessing the personal data of a member of the public over the past three years.
City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council, refused the request because they keep no central register and collating the information would take longer under the appropriate limit stated in the Freedom of Information Act.
Assistant Chief Constable Sue Cross, of North Yorkshire Police, said the organisation’s and individuals’ responsibilities in ensuring the integrity of police information and personal data was regularly reinforced to all staff during training and ongoing use of systems.
She said: “We believe that this system is fair to those who have made a genuine mistake, while at the same time dealing very robustly with any serious non-compliance which might occur.
“Members of the public can be reassured that data security is of the utmost importance to North Yorkshire Police.
“We are very proud of our record in setting out and enforcing high standards of professional behaviour.”
The use of restricted force data systems and email is monitored as part of the core activity of the Professional Standards Directorate to enable the force to identify any non-compliance and to investigate any suspected transgressions.
Sanctions include verbal advice, written warnings, formal reprimands and, in the most serious cases, dismissal, she said.
Comments(3)
Ben Guela
says...
4:30pm Wed 5 Jan 11
Do not trust North Yorkshire Police. They are like the criminals.
Pete the Brickie
says...
7:21pm Wed 5 Jan 11
Ben Guela wrote:I totally agree, we must not also forget these are the occasions when they were caught. Given this force's pitiful detection rate the real abuses most likely run into hundreds. It is somewhat ironic that the same force that constantly refers to an individual's right to privacy when you try to grt information from them has a large number of indiuviduals who are quite prepared to abuse that right for personal gain. It is no good Ms Cross bleating about training either, her officer's are clearly ignoring it and the rules in large numbers. I wonder which Senior officer's example they are following Mr Maxwell.
The truth willout. Do not trust North Yorkshire Police. They are like the criminals.
Get-a-grip2 says...
2:19pm Wed 5 Jan 11
That's very serious, what was the outcome. Is it too much to expect Press "reporters" to ask questions rather than copying and pasting press releases?