This is South Yorkshire Police's and Humberside Police's Statement of Agreed Policy on Information Services. This policy relates to localised procedures only and therefore not supported by Authorised Professional Practice (APP).
This policy covers the following areas:
Policy Scope:
This policy affects all Officers and Staff involved in the issue, use and maintenance of all Information Technology under South Yorkshire and Humberside.
Policy Aims and Objectives:
The purpose of this document is to provide users with security standards and procedures for all Information Technology whilst adhering to the specified guidelines of terms of employment.
Mobile Devices
This policy covers the use of mobile devices by South Yorkshire and Humberside Police Officers and Police Staff. Mobile devices includes:
- Mobile Phone (Smartphone)
- iPads/Laptops/Tablets/other mobile computing devises
The aim of the policy is to ensure that only staff with the appropriate authorisation use mobile devices provided by SYP/HP and that training will be provided for non-standard devices. General usage conditions for mobile phones and staff responsibilities when a device is lost, damaged or stolen as also covered by this policy.
Please refer to the associated procedural instructions for more details:
- Pi29.1 - SYP/HP Mobile Device Instructions
Legal Framework
Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation
Please refer to the SYP policy document for more information
P7 - Information Management
Other relevant Humberside documents you may wish to consider are: Please refer to Professional Standards under Enabling Services
Equality Act 2010
The Act creates a statutory requirement for all Functions and Policies (Including Procedural Instructions) to be analysed for their effect on equality, diversity and human rights, with due regard to the General Equality Duty.
In principle, this document has been assessed for discrimination, which cannot be justified, among other diverse groups.
The Code of Ethics published in 2014 and revised in 2024 by the College of Policing requires us all to do the right thing in the right way.
The 2024 Code of Ethics is not a statutory Code of Practice, it has the same status as other guidance produced by the College. The Code of Ethics is supported by the Code of Practice for Ethical Policing. This is a statutory Code of Practice which provides chief officers with direction on promoting and supporting ethical and professional behaviour within their forces.
Human Rights/Discretion
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.
Rights of redress for members of the public:
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
Rights of redress for South Yorkshire Police personnel:
South Yorkshire Police personnel who feel they have grounds for concern in relation to the implementation of policies may, as appropriate:
- Pursue concerns through their line manager.
- Contact a First Contact Advisor.
- Pursue a grievance formally through the South Yorkshire Police Grievance Resolution Procedure.
- Seek advice from their staff association or trades union.
Use procedural instruction Pi23.11 - Management of Complaints, in the section entitled Handling Complaints relating to Direction and Control.
This statement of agreed policy is managed by Head of Information Services.
