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Original poster

How much information do the police hold on us as previous witnesses to crime?

14 replies

PrincessFluffyPants · 15/03/2023 19:34

Just curious really as I had to give a police statement today about a crime I had witnessed but the investigating officer had my previous address details from when I reported a different crime a few years ago. I wasn't asked for a statement then (presumably they didn't find the person responsible). Previous to this I was a witness in a court case that led to a conviction but that was a different police force entirely. So now I'm musing, can anyone tell me what information is actually available to an initial investigating officer (seemingly not up to date address info!) and how confidential are previous statements that are not related to the crime in hand?

OP posts:
sealon82 · 15/03/2023 20:06

You could apply for a freedom of information request. I did one not long ago, took about 2 months.

Carishina · 15/03/2023 20:13

You can send them a data subject access request (not a freedom of information request). They should have information about how to make a request on the police website.

They should provide a copy of any information they hold about you.

Toomanybooks22 · 15/03/2023 20:16

You can submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) to find out what info they hold on you. FOIs in simplified terms are for questions with answers that don't involve personal data eg how many officers were recruited last year. Tbh if even if you call it an FOI they will treat it as an SAR it's common that people call it that but it is definitely a SAR you need.

If you want to know what information any organisation holds on you, you can submit a SAR request. If you Google ICO (the regulator for data protection in U.K.) I believe they have a template for submitting a SAR request and guidance on how best to do it.

However, they can exempt info and at the very least they will only give you your personal data not information relating to anyone else that might be mentioned.

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Crime
Suzi888 · 15/03/2023 20:16

Are you in the U.S or U.K?

GinIronic · 15/03/2023 20:24

If you are in the UK, and you have come to their attention for a particular reason (see below), the police will have your names, DOB, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses (if you passed your contact details onto them). If you are involved in a road accident, they will have your vehicle and insurance details. If you have been a witness or reported or have been a victim of a crime, this information will be all on one record for anyone with the right access and authority to view.

sealon82 · 15/03/2023 20:30

My mistake it wasn't a freedom of information request it was a subject access request. I applied through the police website. I'm no longer in London but as that's where the offence took place. (Going back over 20 years) and I was the victim of a crime I had to apply through the Metropolitan police. So as far as I understand you apply through the police force that cover the area that might hold that information.

Original poster
PrincessFluffyPants · 15/03/2023 20:33

I'm in England.

Sorry, I probably didn't explain clearly; I was just wondering if the initial computer "screen" the investigating officer sees about a potential witness is a contact information screen only or if it already holds other information. I've actually realised the reason they were previously holding an old address is because I'm also a witness in a very slow moving investigation and I hadn't updated the detective who is in charge of that one, I had genuinely forgotten about it! I'm realising this is making me sound either very dodgy or a bit of a busybody 😀

Also, another question which I ponder every time I watch a police drama (blaming a recent binge watch of Vera!) do detectives really use people's photographs on the big evidence boards they have in their offices or is that just to add interest for viewers?

OP posts:
Original poster
PrincessFluffyPants · 15/03/2023 20:38

GinIronic · 15/03/2023 20:24

If you are in the UK, and you have come to their attention for a particular reason (see below), the police will have your names, DOB, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses (if you passed your contact details onto them). If you are involved in a road accident, they will have your vehicle and insurance details. If you have been a witness or reported or have been a victim of a crime, this information will be all on one record for anyone with the right access and authority to view.

Thank you! That makes things a bit clearer 🙂

OP posts:
demotedreally · 15/03/2023 20:50

I work in policing, but not for a police force. I have occasionally seen some pictures on wall for specific teams but very rarely. I imagine it is mostly done with tech these days.

demotedreally · 15/03/2023 20:52

The information about you will be on the Police National Database, so when they put your name / address in, it will show up that there is a record about you. PND is not about crime/conviction data, it is about general intelligence

Original poster
PrincessFluffyPants · 15/03/2023 21:29

demotedreally · 15/03/2023 20:52

The information about you will be on the Police National Database, so when they put your name / address in, it will show up that there is a record about you. PND is not about crime/conviction data, it is about general intelligence

Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
PrincessFluffyPants · 15/03/2023 21:31

demotedreally · 15/03/2023 20:50

I work in policing, but not for a police force. I have occasionally seen some pictures on wall for specific teams but very rarely. I imagine it is mostly done with tech these days.

Thank you! That's reassuring.

OP posts:
Angelselevenx · 15/03/2023 21:43

@demotedreally I'd love to know more about your line of work, I'm interested in policing but unfortunately can't take the pay cut to work for a police force x

demotedreally · 16/03/2023 06:14

Well it is still public sector so the pay is not much improved!!! There are lots of related organizations, many not well known, but you could look at Police and Crime Commissioners offices, national crime agency, lots of think tank type orgs, college of policing and even the home office.

Police work is fascinating - no day is the same, and you have a different perspective when you see how the whole system operates.

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