Met officer fined for abusing access privileges
Published: 25 Nov 2002 17:37 GMT
A Metropolitan Police constable has admitted to three tech-related breaches of the Police Code of Conduct at a misconduct hearing.
The allegations made reference to "unauthorised transactions and searches of criminal records and criminal intelligence databases" and also to the "unauthorised disclosure of confidential information" to a county court, according to a statement issued today by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).
Some of the database searches related to the officer's previous partner and were conducted at a time when he was seeking access to their daughter. The other searches related to his mother and his mother-in-law.
The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) required the Met to take disciplinary action against the officer for the breaches of the Code of Conduct.
PCA member Marcus Williams said in a statement: "The misuse of confidential electronic data is something which is regarded with great concern. It is particularly worrying when the person involved is a police officer and the data comes from confidential criminal records and criminal intelligence databases. While the stress of a domestic dispute may explain the officer's actions, it does not mitigate them or exonerate him."
He added: "From the Authority's inception, it has warned officers against misusing data on the PNC. Data on police computers must remain confidential and not be used for private purposes."
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