Handling Police Force Information

This guidance only relates to Enhanced Disclosures.

Enhanced Disclosures may contain ‘approved’ information. This is non-conviction information provided by the police from their local records. The Chief Police Officer in each force will decide what, if any, information to provide. The CRB will print this information on both the applicant’s and the Countersignatory’s copy.

Occasionally the Chief Police Officer may, if thought necessary in the interests of the prevention or detection of crime, release ‘additional’ information to the Countersignatory only, in the form of a separate letter.

Where the police issue a separate letter, the Countersignatory’s copy of the Enhanced Disclosure will contain the following words ‘Please refer to letter sent under separate cover’, printed under the ‘date of issue’ on the Disclosure.

Please note, the applicant’s copy of the Disclosure will not refer to this information. Please do not share this information with the applicant.

Confidentiality

The letter, containing the additional information, should be handled, stored, retained and used in exactly the same way as any other Disclosure information and in accordance with the Code of Practice and other guidance.

However, in addition to this, the information contained within the letter must never be revealed to the applicant or be shown to the applicant or to any other person not involved with the recruitment decision.

Criminal Offence

It is a criminal offence under the Police Act 1997 to reveal the information contained within the letter to the applicant or another person who is not involved with the recruitment decision, without the written permission of the Chief Police Officer.

Making an informed decision If, after receiving a letter containing the additional information from a Chief Police Officer, you decide to withdraw the provisional offer of appointment, the applicant will need to be informed of that decision.

It may be that you can justify such a decision based on the information contained on the Enhanced Disclosure; or it may be that it is the information contained in the separate letter that makes the person unsuitable. In this circumstance, the conversation with the applicant may be difficult to conduct and recruiters may wish to take professional advice before proceeding. Further advice and guidance is available from the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD), in their Practical Guide to Employing Ex-offenders, available from our website.

It will perhaps be sufficient for recruiters to explain that, having taken up a number of references and enquiries, it has been decided not to confirm their offer.

This document can be made available in a number of other languages and formats, please contact the CRB on 0870 90 90 811

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