are the police allowed to search people on their computer?
I got an email recently from a guy I used to go to school with, he said he got my email from a girl I know also from school.
It was a basic email, basically asking how I had been, what I was up to lately etc.
I replied and told him basic stuff, such as I live with my partner and have a little boy.
He then got back to me telling me he had been a police officer for a few years now and that he had "checked the work computer to see if anything came up" (about me) before he decided if he was keeping in touch with me or not. (no chance of that now)
He then went on to tell me about the time I was arrested when I was 17 years old. I did something minor ( I stole a small item from a shop) I havent been in trouble since and I learned my lesson. He also told me my old address etc.
My question is, is he actually allowed to do this? I didnt think they could just randomly check up on people unless they had a reason to do so? or am I worng?
I know what I did was wrong, but it was over 11 years ago, and theres no way he got this information from anyone else as I have never told anyone I know. It sounds stupid but I feel a bit violated that he could see all this info about me and he had no reason to see it in the first place.
It was a basic email, basically asking how I had been, what I was up to lately etc.
I replied and told him basic stuff, such as I live with my partner and have a little boy.
He then got back to me telling me he had been a police officer for a few years now and that he had "checked the work computer to see if anything came up" (about me) before he decided if he was keeping in touch with me or not. (no chance of that now)
He then went on to tell me about the time I was arrested when I was 17 years old. I did something minor ( I stole a small item from a shop) I havent been in trouble since and I learned my lesson. He also told me my old address etc.
My question is, is he actually allowed to do this? I didnt think they could just randomly check up on people unless they had a reason to do so? or am I worng?
I know what I did was wrong, but it was over 11 years ago, and theres no way he got this information from anyone else as I have never told anyone I know. It sounds stupid but I feel a bit violated that he could see all this info about me and he had no reason to see it in the first place.
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Think there was something in the paper a while back about a case where they discovered someone had been looking up their neighbours.
I'm sure someone will know more....but it all seems very dodgy to me and I'd be annoyed if I was you
As far I'm aware this is illegal. I imagine many do it but don't say anything. Very naughty, I'd have his balls chopped off for that
more relevant
The PNC is for use by operational police officers and certain civiliaan officers for the purpose of crime prevention and detection. To simply look something up for personal gain, whether that is a person check a vehicle check or aanything else, contravenes the DPA. I had a colleague who looked up his ex wife's partners address by using a vehicle registration number. His electronic fingerprints were all over the search and when he was asked why he searched, he could not provide a valid reason. he was suspended while he was disciplined.
If he is now an ex police officer, there is little to be gained by complaining.
I am a former police officer, but this person was not me, I left honourably:)
Someboy asked how recent the email was, I got it last monday..
It is an offence under the Computer Misuse Act.
Wouldn't be happy with him as a gardener for me.
It is a bit stalkerish. If I wanted to find someone from my past I am sure there are other ways to go about it than checking police databases. Also, this is probably not the first time he has done this, maybe he is looking up people he used to know to try and find out about their past and he possibly might be looking for things (such as criminal records) to blackmail them? Maybe he was sounding you out about your criminal record to see how you would react and if he would be able to use it against you? (It might seem far fetched but stranger things have happened).
If he is no longer a police officer, how long has he held this information and why has he decided to contact you now?
It all seems very strange. I personally wouldn't ignore it, I would go to the police and show them the email and explain any concerns.
This. Would definately report the creep - and keep a copy of any messages off him as proof. What sort of normal human being goes around taunting 'I know you've been arrested'?
I might be wrong though, as it might have been when i was 16, as my (wrongly might i add cough cough) arrest was when i was 14
Report him.
He is not allowed to use either the PNC or his own forces computer system unless for crime prevention/detection purposes.
He is breaching the DPA in doing so.
You should be contacting his force and making a complaint immediatley. This will be taken seriously I can assure you.
I have know of at least 2 officers in Hampshire dismissed for doing just this in the past year.
He sounds a complete idiot and there should be no place in the job for people like him IMO
TBH I'd be all for reporting him, but if that is how he behaves, he doesn't sound a particularly reasonable bloke
Apparently he was fined £4,800:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11084758
I wonder why the man referred to in the opening post had been a police officer for just a few years? Dismissed from the service, maybe? Might be worth Googling for his name.
It is gross misconduct and he should lose his job over this.
By the way I'm a copper and am disgusted by his abuse of position. This needs to be investigated.