Data Removal and Report Retraction

1. Your Right to Request Removal

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances. However, crime reporting platforms have specific legal obligations that may limit our ability to comply with removal requests, particularly where safeguarding concerns are involved.

This page explains when we can and cannot remove information, the process for making requests, and what happens after you submit a removal request.

2. When Removal Is Possible

We can generally remove your information in the following circumstances:

• • Incomplete or draft submissions that were never finalised
• • Duplicate reports where you accidentally submitted the same information multiple times
• • Reports submitted in error that contain no safeguarding concerns
• • Historical reports with no ongoing risk or investigative value
• • Personal information only whilst retaining anonymised content for pattern analysis

Removal requests are assessed individually, taking into account the nature of the report, any actions already taken, and our ongoing legal obligations.

3. When Removal Is Not Possible

We cannot remove information in the following circumstances:

Ongoing Safeguarding Concerns

• • Reports indicating current risk to children or vulnerable adults
• • Information already referred to statutory authorities (police, social services)
• • Cases where removal could compromise ongoing investigations
• • Reports that form part of established patterns of abuse or exploitation

Legal and Statutory Obligations

• • Information required to be retained under the Children Act 1989 and 2004
• • Data subject to Care Act 2014 safeguarding duties
• • Reports that may be required for future legal proceedings
• • Information subject to court orders or statutory retention periods

Public Interest Considerations

• • Reports of systemic abuse or institutional failures
• • Information relevant to public inquiries or accountability processes
• • Cases where removal could prejudice crime prevention or detection
• • Reports that contribute to safeguarding research or policy development

4. Alternative Options

If full removal is not possible, we may be able to offer alternative approaches:

Anonymisation

We can remove your personal identifying information whilst retaining the core report content for safeguarding purposes. This means your name, contact details, and other identifiers are permanently deleted, but the substance of your report remains for pattern analysis and accountability.

Restriction of Processing

Where disputes exist about the accuracy or lawfulness of processing, we can restrict how your information is used whilst maintaining it for essential safeguarding purposes only.

Correction or Amendment

If your concern is about inaccurate information rather than complete removal, we can correct errors or add clarifying information to your report.

5. How to Request Removal

To request removal of your information, contact our legal team at [email protected] with the following details:

Required Information

• • Report reference number (if you have one)
• • Approximate date of submission
• • Summary of the report content to help us locate it
• • Reason for removal request and any relevant circumstances
• • Preferred outcome (full deletion, anonymisation, restriction, etc.)

Identity Verification

For security reasons, we need to verify that removal requests come from the original reporter. If you submitted anonymously, we may ask you to provide information that only the original reporter would know.

Response Times

We will acknowledge removal requests within 5 working days and provide a substantive response within 30 days. Complex cases involving multiple authorities or legal considerations may take longer, but we will keep you informed of progress.

6. Our Assessment Process

When we receive a removal request, we follow a structured assessment process:

Initial Review

Our legal team reviews the request to identify the specific information involved and any immediate legal or safeguarding implications.

Safeguarding Assessment

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead evaluates whether removal could compromise child protection or vulnerable adult safeguarding, consulting with relevant authorities where necessary.

Legal Compliance Check

We assess our legal obligations to retain information under data protection law, safeguarding legislation, and any relevant court orders or statutory requirements.

Decision and Implementation

We provide you with a clear decision explaining what can be removed, what must be retained, and the legal basis for our decision. If removal is approved, it is implemented immediately with confirmation provided.

7. Appeals and Complaints

If you disagree with our decision on a removal request, you can:

• • Request reconsideration by providing additional information or circumstances
• • Escalate to our Data Protection Officer for independent review
• • Complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at https://ico.org.uk
• • Seek legal advice about your rights under data protection law

We will always explain our reasoning clearly and help you understand your options for further action.

8. Important Considerations

Think Carefully Before Requesting Removal

Once information is removed, it cannot be recovered. Consider whether you might want to add additional information or correct details rather than delete everything entirely.

Information Already Shared

If we have already shared your information with statutory authorities, removal from our systems does not automatically remove it from their records. You may need to contact them separately about their retention policies.

Pattern Analysis Impact

Your report may be contributing to wider pattern analysis that helps identify systemic abuse or protect other potential victims. We will explain these considerations when responding to removal requests.