FOI 436-2023 / April 2023 / Archival management of criminal/forensic case files and related materials
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 436-2023
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 20th April 2023 as follows:
Questions to police forces regarding archival management of criminal/forensic case files and related materials
- What is your current position with regards to the following regulations? Please, comment your answers.
National Digital and Physical Evidence Retention Guidance (2021)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Review, retention and disposal. Authorised Professional Practice (APP) (2013:2023)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Codes of Practice and Conduct for Forensic Science Providers and Practitioners in the Criminal Justice System (FSR-C-100)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
NPCC Forensic Retention guidance (2021)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
College of Policing Archiving of records in the public interest (APP) (2021)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
- Do you ever appraise and archive case files & materials for their historical significance, value for research or for public interest? Please describe your practice.
- Do you ever provide access to case files & materials to private individuals and researchers, outside the criminal justice system (not for case review, appeals, training, etc.)? Please describe your practice.
- If you rely on an external provider and/or repository for storage or archival/heritage services (e.g., catalogue, access or display), please describe how this works.
- If you have an inhouse archive or a heritage centre, do you follow any related guidance or standards (e.g., to inform collection care and conservation, cataloguing, and access provision) and which?
Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in providing the response to your request and for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
- What is your current position with regards to the following regulations? Please, comment your answers.
National Digital and Physical Evidence Retention Guidance (2021)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Response: The force is aware of this guidance and working towards implementation into procedures.
Review, retention and disposal. Authorised Professional Practice (APP) (2013:2023)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Response: RRD APP is used within all Records Management review of case files and other records reviewed to ensure we are retaining in line with MoPI.
Codes of Practice and Conduct for Forensic Science Providers and Practitioners in the Criminal Justice System (FSR-C-100)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Response: We are implementing
NPCC Forensic Retention guidance (2021)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Response: It is within our quality document and held on our Quality management system as a reference document.
College of Policing Archiving of records in the public interest (APP) (2021)
- Aware of it
- Implementing it
Response: Warwickshire Police are aware of this and although not yet implemented we are trying to be proactive and start to make everyone aware of the proposed change in APP.
- Do you ever appraise and archive case files & materials for their historical significance, value for research or for public interest? Please describe your practice.
Q2 response: Records Management have reviewed the force’s retention schedule and annotated items that they believe would be of public interest following meeting the retention period. The force’s Heritage Society are also reviewing this to ensure that nothing has been missed which they would be interested in retaining. A page is being put together on the department’s intranet pages so that staff and officers know what would be deemed of public interest and how to make Records Management aware of such cases so that they can be reviewed and marked accordingly.
- Do you ever provide access to case files & materials to private individuals and researchers, outside the criminal justice system (not for case review, appeals, training, etc.)? Please describe your practice.
Q3 response: Any access would have to be with the approval of the force Data Protection Officer and, if any are shared, then it would be on a case by case basis in accordance with GDPR etc.
- If you rely on an external provider and/or repository for storage or archival/heritage services (e.g., catalogue, access or display), please describe how this works.
Q4 response: Not applicable, archive is in house.
- If you have an inhouse archive or a heritage centre, do you follow any related guidance or standards (e.g., to inform collection care and conservation, cataloguing, and access provision) and which?
Q5 response: The force does not have a heritage centre, we do have a heritage group with a large collection of varying items covering all different aspects of the history of the force. However, this is not categorised and is not accessed by anyone other than the Heritage Society. This is pending development of the force’s heritage aspect as mentioned above in terms of Records Management System to catalogue the collection.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB