This policy applies to all South Yorkshire Police officers and staff and includes members of the Special Constabulary, Police Cadets and Police Volunteers. It also applies to members of other organisations who are authorised to process South Yorkshire Police information.

The purpose of this  policy is to ensure that the quality of all data held on electronic systems, in documents or any other information within South Yorkshire Police, is relevant, understandable,  fit for purpose, and conforms to the data quality principles of being:

• Accurate
• Adequate
• Relevant
• Timely
• Consistent

By applying these principles, the collection and recording of all future data will be of a high standard and that errors will over time be amended or deleted.

Information will be held, used, disseminated and disposed of in accordance with and as a minimum the following:

• the information collected complies with the eight principles of the Data Protection Act relevant security requirements including the assignment of appropriate Government Protective Marking Scheme (GPMS) markers  (See Information Assurance – Protective Marking System D51111)data or documents should include details of authors/owners and date created or updated staff should ensure that the data or information, for which they are responsible, is managed according to the South Yorkshire Police Policy on Records Retention D51409
• all supervisors  should ensure there is a quality assurance and audit process for the management of all information Further information in respect of recording police information can be found in section 4 of the MoPI Code of Practice and Guidance.

Intelligence is information, which has gone through a process of consideration and evaluation. There is a clear distinction between the terms, which should be realised by all staff.  Data Quality is everyone's responsibility. All officers and staff will ensure that data, documents and other information for which they are responsible, are accurate, relevant, and kept up to date.

This policy is supported by the following procedural instructions:

Officers obtaining information must make thorough checks with regards to the accuracy of the information being received. Wherever possible, officers should seek to obtain as a minimum:

• forename,
• family name,
• partial name,
• nickname or alias.

Where possible, this should be accompanied by:

• age (DOB),
• sex,
• colour/ethnicity,
• height.

Think! Name, Age, Sex, Colour, Height, (NASCH).

All staff should check that spellings are correct e.g. Stewart or Stuart, Steven or Stephen?  Also, check if there are any middle names. In respect of ethnicity, ensure that you obtain both the Home Office definition and the Self-Defined definition. 

Once staff have ensured accuracy at source, they need to ensure the information is recorded and disseminated in the same accurate manner. Inaccurate information must be corrected or deleted as soon as possible. 

Any information identified or deemed to be inaccurate or unreliable should be brought to the attention of the relevant supervisor or manager of that business process or system owner. This must be done so that the information can either be corrected, or if this is not possible, deleted.

Once the officer is satisfied that they have obtained as much correct information as is possible, checks must be made to ascertain if that person is already recorded within any South Yorkshire Police or National database e.g. PNC. If the person is already recorded, the information obtained must be linked to that record, thus ensuring there is no duplication. Ideally, staff should cross-reference the individual with any PNC/CRO identification numbers. These will have confirmed a nominal details by scientific means i.e. DNA and/or fingerprints.

The information obtained should be submitted into any relevant system as soon as practicable including any national identification numbers.

Care should be taken when feeding information into any electronic system and officers should check all work for any errors before either submitting or inputting any information.

When information is evaluated, consideration should be given to sharing where it is deemed beneficial and it is legal to do so. This should be done with due consideration to the Information Sharing policy D50745.  Decisions to share should be properly recorded to ensure accountability. Accurate audit trails should be kept in respect of all decisions to disseminate or share information.  

Supervisory Duties

It is the responsibility of all supervisors/managers to ensure that all their staff are fully aware of their obligations to maintain complete, accurate and timely records. 
Supervisors in all areas should make regular dip samples of information submitted and feedback should be made to officers, linking in to the learning or development cycle, thereby identifying any training needs and ensuring performance monitoring. 

The purpose of providing policy is to give an indication to staff of the expected course of action.  However it is not possible to cater for every possible combination of factors that would justify a departure from stated policy.  The Human Rights Act 1998 requires the proper use of discretion at all times and nothing within this policy and associated procedural instructions prohibits the proper use of discretion in appropriate circumstances.

Where action is taken that has the potential to interfere with an individual’s Human Rights, the reasons behind the making of the decision to act in that way should be recorded on the appropriate forms, or where this is not practicable, in pocket books or policy logs.

Exemptions do not apply to this statement of agreed policy under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

These instructions fall within MoPI: Yes

When implementing this policy/procedural instruction all SYP staff must comply with MoPI requirements if practicable

• 
  Record all information obtained in the implementation of this policy/procedural instruction on to the relevant system as soon as practicable in accordance with the requirements of the relevant business area and the Government Protective Marking Scheme (GPMS).
• 
  To avoid unnecessary duplication, before creating a new record, check that the information is not already recorded within that system AND ensure any record created identifies the source (where possible), recorder, recording date and purpose.
• 
  Where potential intelligence is identified as a result of processing information, this may, in appropriate circumstances, be submitted via a National Intelligence Record (NIR, CID 122). Intelligence gathered, which forms part of ongoing PSD casework must not be disseminated outside of PSD without the prior approval of the Head of Professional Standards.
• 
  Where possible and with the prior agreement of the Head of Professional Standards if it relates to ongoing PSD casework, encourage information sharing within the service and with partners, see D50745 Information Sharing Agreements and D50746 Information Sharing Agreements – Instructions.
• 
  Ensure that all your actions in implementing this policy/procedural instruction comply with D51361 Data Quality, Data Protection Act 1998, Human Rights Act 1998, Freedom of Information Act 2000.

For more details about MoPI, see D50744 Management of Police Information and Guidance on The Management of Police Information (2010) issued by ACPO/NPIA.

Anyone, who feels that a member of staff has behaved incorrectly or unfairly, or who is dissatisfied with organisational matters, service delivery or other operational policing issues, has the right to make a complaint.

Initial action should be taken in one of the following ways:

• Complain in writing or in person to the Senior Officer at the appropriate police station or to the Chief Constable of the force concerned.
• Visit a local Citizens' Advice Bureau
• Contact a Solicitor

• Pursue concerns through their line manager.
• Contact a First Contact Advisor.
• Pursue a grievance formally through the South Yorkshire Police Fairness at Work Procedure.
• Seek advice from their staff association or trades union.

• Use procedural instruction D50241 Management of Complaints, in the section entitled Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control. 

Equality Analysis: 

D51361 - Data Quality.pdf