The Data Protection Act 1998 places certain obligations on organisations which process personal data to notify the purposes for which information is held or used, to the Information Commissioner, and to observe a set of agreed principles.

The Act covers personal data relating to a living individual which is held on police information systems. Under the terms of the Act, you have the right to request a copy of any personal data you believe may be held about you on a police information system. This is commonly known as the right of ‘subject access’.

You are also entitled to have any information corrected if it is wrong.

How do I go about obtaining this information?

If you require the information for Immigration purposes or for working abroad, e.g. oil industry, you can contact the Disclosure Scotland Unit at Scottish Criminal Records Office Headquarters in Glasgow on 0870 609 6006 or visit their website: www.disclosurescotland.co.uk and ask for a Basic Certificate. They will then check both the Scottish Criminal History System and the England and Wales Criminal History system and issue a Basic Criminal Record Certificate with any 'live' convictions.

If you are immigrating or require a visa for the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand you can obtain a Police certificate from ACRO (Association of Chief Police Officers Criminal Record Office). Their website is www.acpo.police.uk/certificates.asp

Requests for minor driving offences should be directed to the DVLA in Swansea, who can be contacted on 0870 240 0009.

For all other information that the police may hold, you should contact us on 01463 720515.

On receipt of your initial enquiry, an application form will be sent to you, which will explain the procedure to be followed. When you have completed and returned the application form with the relevant fee (currently £10), and the Chief Constable is satisfied as to your legal right to access the information, you will receive, within 40 days, a copy of any personal data the Chief Constable is obliged to release under the terms of the Act.

If you require further advice or guidance in respect of the subject access procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Data Protection Department
Northern Constabulary Police Headquarters
Old Perth Road
Inverness
IV2 3SY
Tel: 01463 720515
Fax: 01463 720510

The procedure for requesting personal information can be shown in the following flowchart

Please note that the original document must be sent to Northern Constabulary, e-mail versions are not legally acceptable. Any queries please contact us as above.

• Subject access form
• How to apply