This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Police information and intelligence sharing
16/03/2007
Scotland's police forces have well-developed systems in place for gathering and handling intelligence and for protecting the confidential sources of that intelligence according to a new report, Common Knowlege, published today.
The fact that systems all follow a common framework (the National Intelligence Model) and that all intelligence is held on a single database - the Scottish Intelligence Database - was deemed to be a particular strength.
However, the report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, also finds that sharing intelligence and information with other public services such as health, social services and education is not so well thought out or systematic.
Malcolm Dickson, Assistant Inspector of Constabulary, recommends the Executive consider identifying a single agency which would have local responsibility for creating a confidential register of children and vulnerable adults.
He further recommends that the Executive pass legislation to require all public services to provide information and intelligence which raises concern about any child or vulnerable adult in their area to the proposed agency. This would be held securely and only shared with other bodies in the event of concerns about their welfare.
Common Knowledge gives the findings of a thematic inspection of the police service in Scotland which was completed at the end of 2006.
It examines the way in which police staff and police forces share information and intelligence with each other and in particular with other public services.
The Inspectorate's report highlights the following progress in information and intelligence sharing:
- increased effort within the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) towards common information and communications technology
- growing evidence of information and intelligence sharing at a local level helping solve community problems
- the adoption by ACPOS of a common manual of guidance on the management of police information
- the development of protocols for information sharing with partners and the increasing use of single points of contact between agencies
- Scottish Executive work to introduce data-sharing standards and local data-sharing
- adoption of the National Intelligence Model by the Scottish Prison Service
In addition to the report's main recommendations, HMIC also recommends:
- police forces review the position of data protection officers and their staff within their structure
- ACPOS consult directly with criminal justice partner agencies to ensure greater access to the criminal history system, while maintaining security
- ACPOS consult with the Executive to determine whether chief constables should remain as data controllers of all SCRO databases
- each force should produce an intelligence and information sharing strategy
- the continued roll out of the use of single points of contact for sharing sensitive information between the police and other agencies
Mr Dickson said:
"Scotland's police forces manage intelligence and information held by them in a professional, secure, effective and sophisticated way. However, this report makes clear that the way forces share intelligence and information with other public services must improve if they are to provide a joined-up service which best meets the differing needs of individual members of the public.
"There is a growing awareness across the public sector that inefficient intelligence and information sharing can have serious consequences. For this to work properly and consistently in the area of public protection and harm reduction there should be a common framework and language between all public services.
"The National Intelligence Model used by the police has proved its adaptability and usefulness beyond policing and that is why I have recommended that this model, or something along the same lines, be extended to all relevant public services.
"However, sharing information between public services is critical when dealing with the protection of people at risk. That is why I am recommending that all relevant public services provide any information they hold on children and vulnerable adults which gives rise to concern to a single lead agency. That agency would then compile a register of them which would be secure until such time as there is sufficient serious concern about their welfare to justify sharing it with other public services.
"We need to have a system in place which, while maintaining the confidentiality of personal information, ensures that the right agencies have access to any information which would help them reduce or prevent crime, minimise any threats to safety and public order and so protect those vulnerable people in our society who are most at risk."