Further guidance to be prepared to fully ensure ethical police use of communications data

ACC Berry said:

 “I am grateful to the Interception of Communications Commissioner for preparing this report, which makes for necessary and, in some areas, challenging reading.

“The police service must accept those areas of criticism, but we also note that errors being committed in police procedures for accessing communications data form a tiny percentage of the totality of our work in that area, and we also acknowledge and thank IOCCO for recognising the large amount of very good work being conducted by teams within forces charged with making sure that we access and use comms data in the most ethical, accountable way possible.

“Evidently, a small number of forces require additional support to make sure that they improve their standards in line with the rest of the service and the expectations of the Codes of Practice. To this end, I intend to arrange for further guidance for Chief Officers and staff to be prepared within seven days, offer further support to those developing guidance within government and consider further targeted training, through the College of Policing, for officers and staff working in this arena as part of our commitment to professionalising comms data processes and practices within the service.

“Communications data is an essential tool for the police service to help protect the public and is used for myriad purposes, from disrupting terrorist activity to helping locate missing people. However, we recognise that, in a policing by consent model such as ours, we must use these more intrusive powers in a way which can command public confidence. We have established a Digital Ethics Panel to aid in this and will continue to take due cognisance of any further guidance given by IOCCO and government.”

ENDS

Further information: The report may be read on the IOCCO website - http://www.iocco-uk.info/