Police Information Systems, Information Practices and Individual Privacy

Abstract

This article describes some common police information systems and practices in light of legislation designed to protect individual privacy. The author finds that policy personnel are sensitive to human rights issues and attempt to reduce threats posed by the use of police information. Threats are further mitigated by a lack of soft information in the national Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) system and limitations on the ability to share electronically data in local agency records. However, the author also raises concerns about the quality and security of records, the level of training, questionable information practices, and pressures to link local records systems. These concerns merit more focused attention from policy exports.