What information does the police hold on me?

If you have ever been questioned by the police then your details will usually be entered onto a number of systems.

If you were arrested then you would have been entered onto the Police National Computer (PNC).

Along with being entered on the PNC the police will also retain “local records”. These will be retained for certain periods of time depending on the offence. In addition, copies of these records will also be logged onto the Police National Database (PND).

Along with retaining records on the PNC and PND, if you have been arrested for a recordable offence, and your case resulted in a caution or conviction, then the police can retain your DNA and fingerprints on two systems (NDNAD and  IDENT1) for varying periods of time, depending on a number of factors.

If you were never arrested and your fingerprints and DNA were not taken, then your details will not be on NDNAD, IDENT1 or the PNC.

Nevertheless even if you  were questioned by the police without being arrested, or were simply suspected of being involved in an allegation, your records will likely be stored on the PND for at least 6 years as “intelligence”.

Along with the PND, the MET also run the CRIMINT database, which also stores intelligence information. In addition there is the National Domestic Extremism Database which has information on individuals who have been labeled domestic extremists or who have been associated with domestic extremism and protests. The database forms part of the National Special Branch Intelligence System (NSBIS) which is itself is being replaced as part of a national programme known as Apollo, which is implementing  the The National Common Intelligence Application (NCIA).

You are entitled to have access to your records held by the police, you can apply to see what is held by undertaking a subject access request to the police force concerned. You can also undertake a PNC check via ACRO to see what is held on the PNC – an ACRO PNC check will also provide you information on your DNA and fingerprint records.

The information you obtain via a subject access request may be redacted by the police, namely it may be obscured or withheld on the basis that some of the information held also relates to “third parties”, and so can not be disclosed under Data Protection law. You may find that the police will black out or withhold a significant amount of information which you may feel is relevant to you.

If you are concerned about information that is held on police systems, and you do not want to approach the police yourselves, or you have been given redacted information by the police, we will be able to apply to obtain your records in an unredacted format.

We have extensive experience in applying for the deletion of police records, including locally held police records and PNC entries.

We are usually able to offer reasonable fixed fees for our services.

Please get in touch to arrange an initial consultation.