Information we gather as part of our role in holding the Chief Constable and other key partners to account.
a. What personal information do we hold?
We attend various meetings and information sharing forums with other public sector bodies as part of our general public duties to secure an efficient and effective police force, bring together community safety and criminal justice partners, and to make sure local priorities are joined up. Data is obtained from the Police Force and other third parties as a result of the OPCC’s involvement in the joint committees and forums.
Examples of the types of forums and meetings that we attend are:
- Briefings from the police force and police station visits attended by the PCC and various office staff.
- Meetings with the Chief Constable attended by the PCC and various office staff.
- Critical Incident Management Meetings attended by the Chief Executive.
- Quarterly Civil Litigation Meetings attended by the Chief Executive.
- Emerging Trends North and South Meeting attended by various office staff.
- Victim & Witness Forum chaired by a staff member.
During the course of these meetings we may obtain personal information about victims and offenders and their family members. The data we hold may include:
- Identity data – name, gender, age, marital status, nationality.
- Contact details data – address.
- Family data – information about family composition and dependants.
- Special category data – racial or ethnic origin, mental and physical health, details of injuries or medication/treatment received, political beliefs, religious beliefs, trade union affiliation, genetic data and data concerning sexual life or orientation.
- Criminal offence data – details of criminal convictions, arrests and cautions.
b. How do we collect your personal information?
This information will generally be collected in documented minutes of meetings, briefing notes and telephone call records, either sent electronically to us or obtained in paper copy at such meetings.
c. For what purposes do we use your personal information?
The purpose of our attendance at such meetings (and subsequent collection of personal data) is generally to hold the Chief Constable to account.
d. What is the legal basis for our use of your personal information?
The OPCC is a public authority and has certain powers and obligations. We have a general duty under the Police Reform & Social Responsibility Act 2011 to hold the police force to account.
Therefore the basis on which we process the above information is in the exercise of our official authority and/or in performance of a task in the public interest.
e. On what basis do we use special category data?
The OPCC may sometimes process data about you which is sensitive, known as special category data (as detailed above).
Special category data requires higher levels of protection and we have to have a further justification for collecting, storing and using this type of personal data.
We will only process this type of data during the course of our involvement in joint committees and forums on the basis that:
- it necessary for reasons of substantial public interest; or
- it is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
- the information has been made public by you; or
- it is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes.
We may need to approach you for written consent to allow processing of certain sensitive personal data. In these circumstances, you will be provided with full details of the personal data that is required and why it is needed, to allow you to carefully consider whether you wish to consent.
f. On what basis do we use information about criminal convictions?
Information about criminal conviction requires higher levels of protection and we need to have a further justification for collecting, storing and using this type of personal data.
We will only process this type of data during the course of our involvement in joint committees and forums on the basis that:
- it is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest; or
- it is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or
- the information has been made public by the individual; or
- it is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes.
We have in place an appropriate policy document and safeguards which we are required by law to maintain when processing such data.
g. Who will we share your personal information with?
We will not sure your information with any other third parties. However, please note that as we will usually obtain the above information via our attendance at multi-party meetings, these organisations are also likely to hold the applicable personal data.
h. How long will we keep your personal information?
For more information about how long we hold personal data, see our Records Management and Retention Policy.
