Why Scots could be among 500,000 names on police database without ever committing a crime
Calls have been made for an urgent review of a Scottish police database that contains the names of more than 500,000 people – despite many of them never having committed a crime.
Leading lawyer Aamer Anwar has said Police Scotland Chief Constable Jo Farrell should explain why so many people are on the intelligence file.
A Freedom Of Information request revealed the Scottish Intelligence Database (SID) had recorded the names of 508,682 adults and children – one in ten of the population – according to the Daily Record. In 2017, the database consisted of 447,000 names, equating to a 13 per cent rise in the past seven years.
The system was set up 21 years ago to allow Scotland’s eight former regional police forces and the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) to share information while investigating organised crime. But that remit has widened and many names on the database have committed no crimes, sparking fresh calls for a review.
Mr Anwar told the Daily Record: “There is certainly not one in ten people in Scotland involved in serious organised crime. I think the Chief Constable should explain why potentially every family has an intelligence file kept on them. In a democracy, police have to justify the gathering of intelligence.”
Mr Anwar said people would be “horrified to find that just because of an anonymous tip-off, you can end up on a police intelligence database”. He said: “This is not crime fighting.”
Concern has been raised by politicians, with Liam McArthur, the Scottish Lib Dem justice spokesperson, describing the total as “a startling number”.
He said: “While it is important that we support the police in modernising the service, this should never come at the cost of privacy obligations and civil liberties. It is unclear how long this data is held for, which is particularly concerning in cases where people have been found not guilty in court or where no charges have been pursued.
“The full force of modern technology means it is easy for companies and public bodies to amass a huge amount of data on us in a short space of time, if given the opportunity. That’s why we need to have rules and frameworks in place to help keep us right – something which the police have already indicated they would welcome.”
Scottish Conservatives MSP Murdo Fraser described the database numbers as “alarming”. He said: “I wonder how many of these 500,000-plus people know that their details are stored and, more importantly, why. Police Scotland must be up front about its criteria for retaining files on so many of our citizens, very many of whom will have no criminal record.”
Police Scotland described the SID as “an essential resource that allows police officers to carry out their role safely and effectively”.
In a statement, the force said: “We regularly review intelligence that is retained to make sure it is appropriate and complies with the Data Protection Act 2018. Individuals have the right to access the information held about them, subject to certain restrictions, via a subject access request.”
Data protection laws are enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office. A spokesman said police forces were aware they “must balance their need to collect data to effectively tackle crime with the need to respect individuals’ data rights”.
The SID system is separate from the Police National Computer, which records criminal convictions.