Disclosure and Data Protection
Disclosure and data protection roles are different, but both crucially deal with the processing, storage, and release of data and information. By virtue of its very nature, policing has significant legal and regulatory obligations in these areas, and the staff who carry out these functions in turn carry out some of the most unseen and yet vitally important roles in policing.
In a nutshell, my role is all about maximising the value of the force's data which is both an asset and a liability to any organisation. I have started to document a vision and a plan to improve data maturity for Durham Constabulary which means utilising the latest technology to deliver modern and user friendly reports/dashboards. At the same time, I will be working with colleagues to improve data quality held in force systems and protect our data in line with legislation and guidance. I manage three teams who work hard to safeguard the organisation on a daily basis regarding information disclosure, management and assurance.
I'm a nerd (and proud) so I tend to enjoy working with computers more than people. I've always had an interest in tech and find I can learn how to use it quickly. Data can tell us so much and used in the right way, it can bring about so many benefits.
I started off on the bottom rung of the ladder in the NHS at the Prescription Pricing Division which was essentially a data entry job and then I moved to working on the databases that held the data. My next role was at City Hospitals Sunderland analysing hospital data, providing insights into patient care. After working as a Senior Analyst for South of Tyne & Wear PCT, I moved to NEAS where I managed a team of analysts.
After a few years, I was promoted to the Head of Informatics where I was responsible for analysis, software development, data warehousing and information governance. I found I enjoyed the strategic side of business intelligence and wanted to see how far I could take my career. After 20 years in the NHS, I felt ready to leave healthcare and try a difference sector which is when I saw a great opportunity come up within policing and here I am today.
Outside of work, and on a personal level, my proudest achievement is definitely my little boy who already seems to be following in my nerdy footsteps. In 2022, I climbed to the summit of Kilimanjaro where our group raised £3,500 for charity. Standing on the roof of Africa is something I'll never forget.
I started at Lancashire Constabulary when I was 18 as an Administration Assistant in the Professional Standards Department. I then progressed to work in the Data Protection Department and processed Subject Access requests. I left this role to become a police officer, but didn’t stay in the role very long as I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would! I came back to the Constabulary and worked in a few different departments before starting in my current role back in Data Protection 15 years ago – I am like a boomerang that keeps coming back!
I have done numerous training courses and qualifications in Data Protection and I also was fortunate enough to achieve a formal qualification in Leadership and Management, which the Constabulary paid for and supported me doing. Lancashire Constabulary prioritises wellbeing and it is a friendly and flexible organisation. You feel like ‘part of the policing family’ working here.
My role is to provide support and guidance to officers in relation to disclosure and to provide support and guidance to officers in relation to disclosure and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996. I enjoy helping officers to achieve the standards required and making their policing role a bit easier.
Following my career as a police officer I applied for a role where I could use the knowledge I had gained over those years, rather than it going to waste. My greatest achievement is believing I have actually made a difference and providing support where it is needed.
