Privacy Notice

Personal information broadly means information that identifies (or which could, with other information that we hold or are likely to hold, identify) a living individual.

This includes information provided to us by you (or on your behalf). It could also include information about you provided to us by other law enforcement agencies, government or local government agencies, companies, professionals, or private persons.

Personal information could be held on a computer or could be in a paper record or image. It can also include other types of electronically held information, such as CCTV recordings and posts on social media.

Other than directly from you, we collect personal data from a wide range of sources in the exercise of our functions. For example, we collect data for our policing purpose, from other law enforcement agencies and via direct reporting from the public. We also collect personal data from CCTV systems and body worn cameras.

We also process personal data that is collected during our administrative functions. For example:

• staff administration
• recruitment
• procurement
• property management
• advertising and media

Avon and Somerset Constabulary collects personal data from a range of sources while exercising its statutory law enforcement functions. This includes:

• Personal details – for example, name, address, date of birth
• Sound and visual images – for example, Body Worn Video, CCTV footage
• Financial details
• Intelligence material
• Digital data – for example, Automatic Number Plate Recognition, communication data from mobile phones, laptops
• Feedback, complaint, incident, and accident details
• Employment details
• Licences or permits that you hold
• Employment details
• Family, lifestyle and social circumstances
• Details of goods or services that you provide
• Details of criminal proceedings, outcomes of proceedings and sentences imposed
• Information gathered about you by cookies or log files from our website, including:
  • your Internet Protocol (IP) address
  • the type of web browser you use to access our website
  • the name of your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
  • the date and time that you accessed our website
  • the referring and exit pages
  • the number of clicks you made on our website
• Information relating to health and safety investigations
• Details of complaints, incidents or collisions involving you. This could include situations in which you have made a complaint and situations in which another person has made a complaint about you

Special category personal data may include:

• Racial or ethnic origin
• Political opinions
• Religious beliefs
• Trade union membership
• Physical or mental health
• Sexual health or orientation
• Genetic or biometric data

We collect, store, and use personal information from the following types of people:

• Staff including police officers, staff, volunteers, agents, and temporary or casual workers
• Former officers, members of staff, pensioners, and beneficiaries
• Potential and aspiring officers and staff
• Offenders and suspected offenders
• Witnesses
• Victims
• Complainants, correspondents, and enquirers
• Relatives, guardians, or associates of the above
• Suppliers
• Contractors
• Advisers, consultants and other professional experts, and
• Other individuals necessarily identified during police enquiries and activity

We have a statutory duty to uphold the law, prevent crime, bring offenders to justice and protect the public. This means we process your personal information for carrying out tasks that are collectively described as the ‘policing purpose’ which includes:

• Protect life and property
• Preserve order
• Prevent the commission of offences
• Bring offenders to justice
• Fulfil any duty or responsibility arising from common or statute law

To do this it is necessary for us to process your personal information under the lawful basis of ‘public task’.

We also process personal data to ensure the smooth running of the organisation, which includes:

• staff administration
• recruitment
• occupational health and welfare
• advertising and media
• accounting
• audit and inspection
• training
• property management
• insurance management
• vehicle and transport management
• payroll
• pensions and benefits management
• management of complaints
• vetting
• legal services and defending ourselves in civil proceedings
• licensing and registration
• research, including customer surveys
• performance management
• sports and recreation
• management of safety and health
• procurement
• collaboration with other organisations

In these circumstances the processing is likely to be based on one or more of the following grounds:

• It is necessary for performing a contract
• It is necessary to comply with a legal obligation
• We have a legitimate interest to do so, and it is necessary and balanced against your own interests, rights and freedoms
• It is necessary to protect an individual’s vital interests
• You have consented to the processing of your personal data

Avon and Somerset Constabulary takes the security of all personal information under our control very seriously. We will comply with the relevant parts of the legislation relating to security, and seek to comply with the College of Policing Information Assurance authorised practice, and relevant parts of the ISO27001 Information Security Standard.

We will ensure that appropriate policy, training, technical and procedural measures are in place. These will include, but are not limited to, ensuring our buildings are secure and protected by adequate physical means.

The areas restricted to our police officers and staff are only accessible by those holding the appropriate identification and have legitimate reasons for entry. We carry out audits of our buildings security to ensure they are secure.

Our Standard Operating Procedures and Policies make clear what use may be made of any personal information contained within them. Our systems meet appropriate industry and government security standards.

Avon and Somerset Police keep personal data for as long as is necessary for the particular purpose, or purposes, for which it is held.

Personal data which is placed on the Police National Computer is retained, reviewed and deleted in accordance with the agreed national retention periods which are subject to periodic change.

Retention periods refer to the length of time that records or data should be kept before they are disposed of. These periods are determined based on legal, regulatory, and business requirements.

Other records containing personal data relating to intelligence, digital media, custody, crime, firearms, child abuse investigations, and domestic violence will be retained in accordance with the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice for Information Management. This can be found on the College of Policing’s website.

Other records are retained in line with the NPCC Retention and Disposal Schedule.

To enable Avon and Somerset Constabulary to meet our statutory duty, we may be required to share your personal information.

We may share your personal data with:

• Other law enforcement agencies
• Government departments
• Regulatory bodies
• Partner agencies involved in crime and disorder reduction
• Third-party service providers

Find out more about how we share personal data with partners for different legal purposes.

Avon and Somerset Police must have a valid lawful basis to process your personal data.

When we process your personal data for law enforcement purposes it is done so under Common Law Policing Powers, and either with your consent or because the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out for law enforcement purposes.

When Avon and Somerset Police process your personal data for general purposes there are five lawful bases available, the lawful basis will depend on the purpose for processing the personal data.

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent
• Performance of a contract
• Compliance with a legal obligation
• Protection of vital interests
• Performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority.

If you have any queries about the way in which we collect, use, and protect the personal information you should contact us by:

• email — DPO@avonandsomerset.police.uk
• phone — call 01275 816376
• post —
  The Data Protection Officer
  Avon and Somerset Police and Fire Headquarters
  PO Box 37
  Valley Road
  Portishead
  BS20 8QJ

You have the right to request access to your personal data and obtain a copy of the information we hold about you. This is commonly known as subject access.

Find out how to access your personal information.

You have the right to request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data we hold about you.

Contact our Data Protection Officer if you believe that your information is not accurate or up to date.

You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.

You have the right to request the restriction of processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

You have the right to request the transfer of your personal data to another party.

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, where we are relying on a legitimate interest or performing a task in the public interest.

Where we are relying on consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Contact our Data Protection Officer to withdraw your consent.

The right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects concerning you or similarly significantly affects you.

This right doesn’t apply if it is:

• necessary for entering into, or performance of, a contract between you and us as the Data Controller
• authorised by a Union or Member State law, to which our Data Controller is subject and which also lays down suitable measures to safeguard your rights and freedoms and legitimate interests
• based on your explicit consent