What personal information do we hold?
We collect information when you respond to our consultations and surveys. Information varies depending on the consultation.
In all cases, we limit information to the following:
- What we need to know;
- Information for monitoring purposes.
We publish summaries of consultation responses. Summaries do not contain personal data.
How do we collect personal information?
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) uses online surveys for most public consultations. However, we can make paper-based versions available if needed.
When you have completed a paper-based survey, we will transfer it to an electronic format. This allows the OPCC to analyse responses efficiently.
The OPCC may also carry out consultations in focus groups, over the telephone or face-to-face. When this happens, we will be clear about what personal data we will collect and how we will use it.
Why do we use your personal data?
The role of the PCC is designed to be the link between the public and the policing service, which is delivered on its behalf.
The public elect PCCs to hold Chief Constables and the force to account. Therefore, this makes the police answerable to the communities, which they serve.
Therefore, a key role of PCCs is to represent and engage with local communities. This is to help establish and deliver policing priorities.
The PCC has a duty to consult with local communities. This is set out in several pieces of legislation.
Obtaining the views of local people on policing
The Police Act 1996 says the PCC must ‘consult with those in that policing area, about the policing of that area.’
The Policing and Crime Act 2009 and Community Engagement and Membership Regulations 2010 adds the requirement to ‘have regard to the views of people in the authority’s area about policing in that area.’
Police and Crime Plan
The PCC produces a Police and Crime Plan covering their term of office. The plan sets out priorities for local policing and how they will be delivered.
The plan outlines objectives for the following:
- Policing and reducing crime and disorder in the force area;
- Allocation of policing resources;
- Agreements for funding;
- Performance reporting requirements.
The PCC must seek the views of people in his police area on the plan. The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act says this must take place before the Police and Crime Plan is published.
Budget Proposals
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act says that the PCC must try to get the public’s views on spending proposals for that financial year.
He must ask for the views of people in his police area as well as the relevant ratepayers’ representatives.
Obtaining the Views of Victims of Crime
The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act says that the PCC must ask for the views of victims of crime in his area. He must ask for their views on policing and the Police and Crime Plan.
Equality and Diversity
As a public sector body, the PCC must meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
The act brings together previous equality legislation. It also includes a new public sector equality duty.
The Equality Act refers to nine different protected characteristics. They are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.
There is no explicit legal requirement to engage with people with protected characteristics.
However, the Act does require public authorities to have due regard to get rid of conduct prohibited by the Act. This includes discrimination, harassment and victimisation
In addition, the Act requires authorities to carry out Equality Impact Assessments. This is to consider the likely impact of any work on different groups of people.
Human Rights
As a public sector body, the PCC has to meet the requirements of the Convention rights set out in the Human Rights Act
This includes, but is not limited to, Article 8 (respect for private and family life) and Article 9 (freedom of thought, belief and religion.)
We collect demographic information. This lets us understand how effective our consultations are at reaching the widest group of people. Information includes geographic location, ethnic grouping, age range and gender.
Providing this information is always optional. It is not required in order to complete consultations.
What is the legal basis to use your personal information?
We rely on article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR to process your personal data. This allows us to process personal data when necessary to perform our public tasks.
How do we handle your personal information?
We handle your personal information according to Part 2 of the UK Data Protection Act 2018. The act applies the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards for the use of data considered to be ‘general data’.
We keep personal data securely on computer systems or in physical files. Our staff, partners, contractors and volunteers access it when they need to do so for a lawful purpose.
The OPCC is committed to making sure that individuals’ personal and sensitive information is accurate, up to date, used only for the purpose intended and securely protected from inappropriate access.
We regularly review personal information and assess whether it is lawful for us to still keep it. We destroy information safely when it is no longer required for any purpose in this notice or there is no longer a lawful purpose to use it.
The OPCC is committed to ensuring you can find out about your personal information, have access to it and can challenge its accuracy.
Who do we share your personal information with?
We use Smart Survey to carry out online consultations. By completing an online consultation, you agree that your information will be transferred to Smart Survey. This is for processing in accordance with the Privacy Policy and Data Processing Agreement (standard contractual terms).
Sometimes, third parties consult on our behalf. We may also work jointly with partner organisations. When this happens, we will make it clear from the outset. We will state who that third party is and tell you about any related privacy notices, terms or conditions.
We have contracts in place with Smart Survey and any other company we contract with to conduct surveys on our behalf. This is to make sure that your data is protected in accordance with the law.
How do we secure your personal information?
The OPCC takes the security of your personal information very seriously.
We use a variety of security measures. They include encryption and access controls. This helps to protect the security, integrity and availability of information.
The OPCC works hard to maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect information in line with the Act.
Only our own and partner agency staff can access the areas, where we store personal information. Areas are only accessible to people holding appropriate identification.
How long do we keep personal information?
The OPCC keeps personal information until we complete statistical analysis. It is then deleted.
However, we may publish summaries of responses. They may be available indefinitely or in line with statutory requirements. However, summaries do not contain personal information.
Records with personal information are managed in line with the OPCC’s Retention Schedule.