"we’re limited as to what we can tell you about this person”

[dick27]

If the police, the local authority and a local politician all say "we’re limited as to what we can tell you about this person” when I haven’t even asked anything about this person, just for help in dealing with a neighbour situation – what does it lead you to think?

@dick27

To reiterate, I did not ask for information about them. In fact in 2 of the 3 cases I explicitly said I did not want to know anything about them, I just wanted help with a specific situation. The response has been 3 variations on "we’re limited as to what we can tell you about this person” which was NOT what I had asked. It has made me very suspicious.

What were you asking people about your neighbour?

Some of these replies are very over dramatic...
There is no pre-set script for trying to communicate "big red flag" or to avoid disclosing something like witness protection!

It's a pretty standard response - in my line of work, you might ring and tell me you are concerned about your neighbour because of xyz, and I would reply something like "obviously I'm limited in what I could tell you due to confidentiality, but thank you for sharing - is there anything else you think I need to know."
That would be the same if they are a mass murderer or Joe blogs who we have no concerns about at all!

And just to be clear - to get that answer above from me, no one needs to have asked for info, asked what I'm going to do next etc etc - I'd just say it as standard in most situations when people are normally just ringing to share info with me.

It's a huge leap to assume that someone has a nefarious background just because of a statement like this

As the enquiry wasn't about the person, it's the mentioning the person at all (when it was wholly unnecessary to say anything) is why that is odd and suggestive. After all, why bring something in if there's no reason to?

That they all know who that person is for some reason, but whatever reason it is, is still ongoing so they are limited in what they can say.

@LizDoingTheCanCan

They're limited as to what they can tell you about any individual. What they are saying is, there are laws around confidentiality.

This. The police also deal with people with mental health issues. That could be the only reason someone is known to them. And like any health issue, there are rules about confidentiality.

@Duracellbunnywannabe

They are know to the police and not in a positive way.

This

It means something bad but they can't tell you but they can warn you.

My local Council and my MP have both said this to me recently about a neighbour who committed a serious crime against several neighbours and is being evicted

I wasn’t really asking anything as I know pretty much everything I need to know about the neighbour .
But one person did slip up and say it’s very spooky how much you know 😂
So basically confirming that what I had knew and said was correct

Actually thinking back they both mentioned GDPR and that they couldn’t tell me anything but still let slip how it was spooky how much I knew 😂

@dick27

To reiterate, I did not ask for information about them. In fact in 2 of the 3 cases I explicitly said I did not want to know anything about them, I just wanted help with a specific situation. The response has been 3 variations on "we’re limited as to what we can tell you about this person” which was NOT what I had asked. It has made me very suspicious.

Is that 3 separate people you've enquired about, or the same person 3 times?