Security of Information Policy PDF

**SECURITY OF INFORMATION** **TABLE OF DOCUMENT DETAILS** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Title | Security of information | +===================================+===================================+ | Reference No...

**SECURITY OF INFORMATION** **TABLE OF DOCUMENT DETAILS** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Title | Security of information | +===================================+===================================+ | Reference No | S.O INT 3 | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Relevant Department or Group | Crime and Intel steering group | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Ownership | Deputy Chief Constable | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Document Author | A/DI 310 M. Angelides | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Approved by | Chief Constable | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Approval Date | May 2020 | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Implementation Date | June 2020 | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | To be Reviewed Date | June 2023 | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Last Revised Date | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Quality Assured by | Policy Dept. | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Protective Marking | Not Protectively marked | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Linked to other | NO | | | | | Standing Order | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Relevant Legislation | Cap. 154 | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | Pages (including this page) | 7 | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ **TABLE OF CONTENTS** [Introduction](#section1) [ ] [Page: 3-5] [Section 1](#ChiefConstablePolicyStatement) ----------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------- --------------------------------------------- [Data Protection and Computerised Information](#section2) [Page: 5] [Section 2](#section2) [The Official Secrets ACT](#section3) [Page: 5-6] [Section 3](#section2) [Reference to the Police Service](#section4) [Page: 6] [Section 4](#section4) []{#section1.anchor} **1. Introduction** SBA Police keep a large amount of information about certain individuals to enable staff to carry out their duties. Some of this information is highly sensitive and it is all confidential. Any information staff come into contact with or has access to, as part of their duties must be treated as strictly confidential. Any unauthorised access to, use or disclosure of, any such information is a serious disciplinary offence, which may result in dismissal. In addition, disclosing confidential information or dealing with it in an unauthorised way may be a criminal offence. The offences are illustrated below according to Cap 154 **1.1 Corruption and the Abuse of Office** **Official corruption** **1.2 Extortion by public officers** **1.3 Public officers receiving property to show favour** **1.4 Neglect of official duty** **1.5 Criminal Code Cap. 154:** **General punishment for misdemeanour** []{#section2.anchor}**2. DATA PROTECTION AND COMPUTERISED INFORMATION** All of the information on police computers are only to be used when it is required for police work, it should not be used to conduct enquiries out of curiosity or for private purpose. If the information is used for any other reason, the user may be committing a criminal offence. The offences and penalty are as described above (**Corruption/Abuse of Office and Neglect of official duty)** Disclosure of protected data or confidential information is also a serious disciplinary offence. To make sure that the force computer systems are not infected by a computer virus, no one is allowed to use a force floppy disk on any other computer equipment not owned by SBA Police []{#section3.anchor}**3. THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT** The Official Secrets Act 1989 as well as Human Rights ordinance 9/2004 and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Ordinance 2012 (RIPO) protect certain classes of information and makes the unlawful disclosure of such information an offence. It also creates an offence to deal with any information, document, or article subject of the act in a manner other than authorised. This can include allowing others access to such a document or passing on any codeword to some other unauthorised person. All persons employed, for the purposes of the Police Force are therefore bound by obligations of the Act to protect information. Anyone leaving employment with the Police will continue to be bound by the provisions of the Official Secrets Act. Classes of information which are Protected by the Act   []{#section4.anchor}***4. WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE POLICE SERVICE, THEY ARE*:** a\) information about security or intelligence; b\) information which, if disclosed, results or is likely to result in: \(i) the commission of an offence \(ii) the facilitation of an escape from legal custody \(iii) impedes the prevention and detection of offences or the apprehension / prosecution of suspected offenders.