Police records - Subject access request

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Police records – Subject access request

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About Criminal Records

Name

Police Subject Access Request (often referred to as “Police records” )

Issued by

Local police force (or ACRO, who disclose PNC data on behalf of most forces) under the Data Protection Act 1998

Use

To establish what information the Police hold on you for your own purposes to ensure that police information is accurate.

What it contains

Details of all personal information which the Police hold on you, including what is held on the PNC and what is held on local police records (depending on what information you ask to see)

How to apply

You can apply via your local Police Force. Each police force normally has a form to complete, which is usually available online but can also be requested in writing.
ACRO provides Subject Access disclosures from the Police National Computer on behalf of most police forces in England and Wales (apart from Derbyshire, Gwent and Sussex), Northern Ireland, Jersey and the Isle of Man. Requests can be made by post or online. Details of both can be found here. ACRO also have a useful further guidance pageproviding additional information on SAR’s.
If you want a copy of all of your personal data, you should make sure that you request to see both PNC data and any information held locally by your local police force.

If you apply online via ACRO, you can choose to get the details sent by email.

Who can apply for it

You only.

You should not be required by anybody else to provide a copy of your police records to them. If this happens, you should read our guidance on enforced subject access.

Contact details

You will need to contact the Data Protection team at your local Police Force. Links are available here. Many requests relate to information held on the PNC, and the majority of these are dealt with by ACRO. Their contact details are below:

A: ACRO (SAO), PO Box 623, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 9HR

T: 02380 479 920
E:customer.services@acro.pnn.police.uk
W:www.acro.police.uk

Cost

Free of charge.

How long it takes

Within one calendar month.

Where it is sent

To you only. Subject Access disclosures (Police records) are not designed to be used by employers as the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act are not applied (see ‘Other information’)

Link to anonymous examples

Police records - Subject access request - Unlock (4)

How to correct inaccurate information

If you feel the information in inaccurate, you will need to contact the police force who holds the information outlining the inaccurate information. Each Chief Police Officer is the Data Controller for their PNC record, and has the ability to delete information. There is an exceptional case procedure, but this is normally confined to deleting local police information such as allegations.

Enforced subject access

It was announced in early 2014 that the final elements of the Police Act 1997 will take effect. With this comes the news that enforced subject access will be a criminal offence. This came into force on 10th March 2015.Read more here.

Add Comment

How can I get a copy of my criminal records please
Reply
1. Hi Julie
  You can get a copy of your criminal record by applying for a Subject Access Request (SAR) to ACRO Criminal Records Office – https://www.acro.police.uk/Subject-access. The SAR is free of charge and the police ask you to allow 30 days in which to return it to you. It’s important to note that SAR’s should not be passed to employers, insurers etc – the information is essentially ‘for your eyes only’.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
Does the SAR return all of the information returned on a Police Certificate, or does the Police Certificate go further? Eg. if an SAR comes back with no data held, does that mean the Police Certificate will also come back with no data / no trace?
Reply
1. Hi Joe
  Your SAR will show every interaction you’ve had with the police whereas your Police Certificate will only disclose cautions or convictions which have NOT been ‘stepped down’. If there is nothing on your SAR then your Police Certificate will merely state ‘No Trace’.
  See Also
  Loss Prevention Agents Want Shoplifters to Know 10 Things When The Police End an Investigation | Defence Lawyers Explaining Receiving Stolen Property Without Knowing – Is it Legal?Criminal record checks and disclosure – what shows up?
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
Hello I had a 1 year ban from driving in my early 20s , do I have to add that to my ACRO form or is it spent ?
Reply
1. Hi Winnie
  Many people who receive a driving ban will also receive an endorsem*nt on their driving licence. Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) a driving ban and endorsem*nt would become spent after 5 years at which time they will no longer appear on your basic Disclosure and Barring Service certificate and wouldn’t have to be disclosed to an employer.
  Your driving offence would be removed from a standard and enhanced DBS certificate after a period of 11 years.
  The Subject Access Request (SAR) which you have received from ACRO is a copy of your police record (a copy of everything which is held on the Police National Computer). Cautions and convictions will stay on here until you are 100 years old but this isn’t something that you should ever share with an employer, it is for your information only.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
An on-duty Police officer used their personal mobile phone to take photos and videos of me during an interaction, is this digital media available to me through a public access request?
Reply
1. Hi I was arrested at the beginning of November 2020 and held overnight and was released without being charged. I would like to know the exact date of arrest because I’m not sure, police station not very helpful can I find this information on line now ? Thanks
  Reply
  1. Hi William
    The best way to find out the date you were arrested is to apply for a copy of your police record (often referred to as a Subject Access Request). You can do this by completing the online form on the ACRO Criminal Records Office website (https://www.acro.police.uk/Subject-access). It’s free of charge and usually takes a couple of weeks, although the police do ask you to allow 30 days.
    Best wishes
    Debbie
    Reply
I have criminal record sexual assault ,I get 100 hours community service this was in 2006 almost 17 years, spent long time ago, but still show up my dbs certificate
Reply
1. Hi Yonas
  As you may be aware, convictions stay on your criminal record until you are 100 years old – if you are looking at a copy of your police record (otherwise known as a Subject Access Request) that’s why it is still appearing.
  However based on the information you have provided, under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA), your conviction is now considered spent and should no longer appear on a basic Disclosure an Barring Service (DBS) certificate. It will however remain on both a standard and enhanced DBS as your offence is one which is not eligible to be filtered (removed).
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
do photos taken at a police station for interview appear on the PNC, and are available for the SAR and DBS check or no? i presume a picture is not a search term, but it can be checked against the ID provided to confirm the same person? the interview case was NFA’d but just wondering.
Also do you get both the SAR and the certificate? And is the SAR or certificate information the DBS check information, or is there a difference in some way?
Thanks
Reply
I have submitted an SAR to the police asking for information about an interview with the police involving two police officers, my wife and myself. Since then, my wife has died and the police are refusing to respond to the SAR. I have supplied my ID proofs, proof of being my late wife’s sole executor and of being her Personal Representative. The police are refusing my request.
What can I do?
Reply
Hello
Police say they have “documentary evidence” of me. The alleged offence is “Use a handheld mobile phone/ device while driving” I really don’t think I held my phone, I use it as a satnav attached to a holder on my dash board.
I sent an email to the local police traffic Bureau that responded stating “Police evidence can only be produced in court”
Is this accurate I thought I had the right to access my personal data?
I spoke to the ICO and they said that is correct but they cannot comment on any exclusions. Are you able to advice on what exclusions there may me. It was North Yorkshire police.
Kind regards
Anon
Reply
Hello
I was recently recalled and my probation officer is reluctant to show me the licence she recalled me on.
The prison services and my solicitor have attempted to get a copy but without any luck.
Reply
My father has passed away (2000) am I able to get a copy of his criminal record?
Reply
See Also
How to Tell if You’re Being Investigated by the Police - Pumphrey Law
1. Hi Tasha
  Unfortunately you wouldn’t be able to apply for your late father’s criminal record. Subject Access Requests have to be applied for by the individual they relate to.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
Hello Debbie,
I’m really concerned about a cannabis warning I received 10yrs ago.
Would this show on a DBS check & should I be disclosing this to employers?
Thanks & regards,
Reply
1. Hi Steve
  Cannabis warnings are not disclosed in the main body of any type of DBS certificate. The police can, if they think it relevant to the job you are applying for, choose to disclose it as additional information on an enhanced DBS certificate. However, it’s important to say that this is extremely unlikely to happen. You can find further information about cannabis warnings at https://unlock.org.uk/advice/cannabis-warning/.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
  1. Hello Debbie,
    Thank you so much for taking the time to reply & providing reassurance to my concerns.
    All the very best.
    Many regards,
    Steve
    Reply
I was given a 2 year suspended sentence 36 years ago for theft. Will this still show up? Many thanks
Reply
1. Hi
  Your conviction from 36 years ago is now deemed spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA). It would no longer appear on a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and for the majority of jobs would not need to be disclosed.
  If you were applying for any role which was exempt from the ROA and which required either a standard or enhanced DBS check then your conviction would always appear on these types of check and would have to be disclosed to an employer if they asked.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
I’m not sure if this is the place to ask , so I apologise if it is not, I was arrested and convicted of a handful of public order offences 18months ago. During the arrest, body worn camera footage was collected. Due to my previous employment the story made local headlines. How will I know if the local constabulary intend to release the footage of my arrest ?
Reply
1. Hi Al
  More and more police forces are using body worn cameras to log incidents, capture exchanges and provide evidence that can be used in any prosecution. They wouldn’t usually release footage to the media or to an employer.
  I hope this helps set your mind at rest.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
  1. Hi Debbie,
    Thank you so much for your reply and furthermore, thank you to everyone at Unlock for the superb work you all do.
    Reply
how do i get my police records when im in prison
Reply
1. Hi Daniel
  As you are probably aware, the usual way to get a copy of your police record is to apply online to the ACRO Criminal Records Office – http://www.acro.police.uk/Subject-access. If you have a family member or friend that has access to your ID then you could give consent for them to apply for this on your behalf. Alternatively, in some prisons it is possible to make a request through the Prison Governor.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
How do i find out if i have a non molestation order against me
Reply
1. Hi Martin
  If you apply to ACRO for a copy of your criminal record this would show whether you were given a non-molestation order and if so, what the length of the order was.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
I have been arrested for stolen a jacket I just wanna know if that going to my record criminal or nah ?
Reply
1. Hi Mamoud
  If following the arrest you received a caution or a conviction then this would form part of your criminal record.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
Hi
In 2014 I was caught with one gram of cocaine. I got a £100 fine for this, do you know if this means it will show up on my criminal record? And if so, does it ever become spent?
Thanks
Reply
1. Hi Mark
  I can confirm that your conviction from 2014 is now considered ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) and would no longer need to be disclosed when applying for the majority of jobs. It wouldn’t appear on a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
  It would be filtered (removed) from a standard and enhanced DBS certificate after 11 years (5.5 years if you were under 18) – https://unlock.org.uk/advice/filtering-cautions-convictions/. Once it has been filtered it is deemed ‘protected’ and wouldn’t have to be disclosed to any employer recruiting into roles which are exempt from the ROA.
  Best wishes
  Debbie
  Reply
I have lots of previous convictions for petty crimes. I have had none since 2015. If the police came to me about a incident I want to report will they see my previous convictions.
Reply

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Debbie Sadler

Head of Advice

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Popular advice

I'm Debbie Sadler, the Head of Advice at Unlock, an organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for individuals with criminal records to help them positively move forward in their lives. With extensive expertise in criminal records and related matters, I've provided guidance to numerous individuals seeking information about their rights, disclosure, and accessing police records.

In the provided article about criminal records, the focus is on obtaining information through a Subject Access Request (SAR) to the police, particularly from the Police National Computer (PNC). Here's an overview of the key concepts discussed in the article:

Subject Access Request (SAR):
- Definition: A Subject Access Request is a legal right under the Data Protection Act 1998 that allows individuals to access information held about them by various government agencies, including the police.
- Purpose: To verify and ensure the accuracy of information held by the police about an individual.
Police National Computer (PNC):
- Definition: The PNC is a centralized database used by the police in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Jersey, and the Isle of Man to store criminal record information.
- Content: The PNC may contain details of arrests, allegations, convictions (spent or unspent), and other related information.
ACRO (Criminal Records Office):
- Role: ACRO handles Subject Access disclosures from the Police National Computer on behalf of most police forces.
- Application Process: Individuals can apply for a SAR through their local police force or directly to ACRO, either by post or online.
Content of SAR:
- Details: The SAR provides information about an individual's personal information held by the police, including data from the PNC and local police records.
Enforced Subject Access:
- Legislation: The final elements of the Police Act 1997 came into effect in March 2015, making enforced subject access a criminal offense.
Accessing Driving Offense Information:
- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA): Information about driving bans and endorsem*nts becomes spent after a certain period, affecting its disclosure on DBS certificates.
Handling Inaccurate Information:
- Correction Process: Individuals can contact the police force to correct inaccurate information in their records.
Body-Worn Camera Footage:
- Access: Body-worn camera footage is generally not released to the public or employers but is retained for evidentiary purposes.
Filtering of Convictions:
- ROA Filtering: Some convictions become spent and are filtered from standard and enhanced DBS certificates after a specified period.
Non-Molestation Order:
- Identification: Information about a non-molestation order can be obtained through a SAR.
Cannabis Warning Disclosure:
- DBS Check: Cannabis warnings are generally not disclosed on DBS certificates but may be disclosed on an enhanced certificate in specific circ*mstances.
Disclosure of Past Convictions:
- Spent Convictions: Spent convictions may not need to be disclosed in many job applications, depending on the type of check required.

These concepts encompass the core elements of the article, providing individuals with valuable information about accessing and understanding their criminal records. If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on these topics, feel free to ask.

Police records - Subject access request - Unlock (2024)