Retention policy around deleted emails

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.028385

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. What is your retention policy around emails including after a user deletes an email from an inbox?

2. What is your retention policy around teams messaging or any other messaging facility that Met Police uses, this also includes once a user deletes a message or messages?

3. What is your retention policy around documents and files including once a user deletes a file?

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 - What is your retention policy around emails including after a user deletes an email from an inbox?

3 years, with an option for users to select 6 years when drafting the email.

Q2 - What is your retention policy around teams messaging or any other messaging facility that Met Police uses, this also includes once a user deletes a message or messages?

6 years for any messages on a Teams Group Channel and 31 days for 1:1 chats.

Q3 - What is your retention policy around documents and files including once a user deletes a file?

This part of your request is rather broad and the remit of a FOIA request is to provide recorded information rather than opinion or context. The answer depends on the file and where it is saved.

However, to assist you the MPS is able to explain the following;
Any file saved is governed by Management of Police Information (MOPI) principles and so is subject to a retention classification. The principles of Management of Police Information (MoPI) provide a way of balancing proportionality and necessity that are at the heart of effective police information management.

Any file saved on One Drive or an O365 application is retained for 6 years (except email, which is 3 years). Users can delete early but the file is still recoverable.

Any file saved within the MPS central repository for information is retained for 6 years but it also provides a folder structure with 10 year and 30 years retention options – these are clearly marked. Please note, a user can delete a file early but it is recoverable.

Any file saved on the S Drive or H drive Again (the MPS’s shared and personal storage space) is subject to MOPI but these legacy drives do not auto-weed, so it is up to the user to ensure that files are disposed of accordingly.

Additional advice and assistance
College of Policing - Authorised Professional Practice for Management of Police Information (MOPI)