A significant data breach by the Norfolk and Suffolk police forces has exposed the personal information of 1,230 individuals, including victims of crime and witnesses. The breach, attributed to a “technical issue,” occurred in the context of Freedom of Information (FOI) responses, where sensitive details were inadvertently disclosed.

The constabularies have expressed their apologies for the incident and acknowledged that the compromised data was concealed within the files, intended to remain inaccessible. This information breach encompassed descriptions of criminal offenses ranging from sexual and domestic assaults to hate crimes and thefts.

The breach emerged when the Norfolk and Suffolk police forces revealed that this personal, identifiable data had been attached to a small fraction of the FOI responses for crime statistics distributed between April 2021 and March 2022. Disturbingly, this information encompassed private details of victims, witnesses, and suspects linked to various criminal activities, including sexual offenses and domestic incidents.

Under legal provisions, victims of sexual offenses are entitled to lifelong anonymity. However, this incident has put their privacy at risk, prompting concerns about the security of sensitive data held by law enforcement agencies.

Officials from both forces emphasized that the exposed data was “hidden from anyone opening the files” and maintained that no evidence suggested external access by unauthorized parties. The data’s presence would not have been readily apparent, as accessing it would have required specialized knowledge.

Efforts to mitigate the fallout from this breach are underway. Affected individuals are expected to be contacted through letters, phone calls, or face-to-face interactions before the end of September, according to announcements by the Norfolk and Suffolk police forces.

Suffolk Temporary Assistant Chief Constable, Eamonn Bridger, led the joint investigation by the two forces and expressed regret over the incident, stating, “We would like to apologize that this incident occurred, and we sincerely regret any concern that it may have caused the people of Norfolk and Suffolk.”

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has launched an investigation into the matter. Deputy Commissioner Stephen Bonner underscored the significance of safeguarding personal information, particularly sensitive data, and emphasized the importance of robust data protection measures.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Suffolk, Tim Passmore acknowledged the breach and pledged to oversee corrective actions. He affirmed, “I have requested regular updates from the Chief Constable so I can be assured everything reasonably possible is being done to put matters right. I will also be looking at a full review of the constabulary’s information sharing processes to guard against something like this ever happening again.”

This unfortunate incident sheds light on the necessity of stringent data protection measures and reinforces the need for continuous efforts to ensure the privacy and security of individuals’ sensitive information, particularly within law enforcement agencies.