Child-friendly privacy notice
Note, this is the child-friendly summary of (and not a substitute for) the adult version of our privacy notice.
This page is about how the Met uses and looks after the information we've got about you. We also explain your rights about the information we hold about you.
What is personal data?
Your personal data is any information that can be used to identify you. This is the type of information that the Met hold about you. This could be things like your name or a photo of you, it could even be things like your personal email address or your social media username.
There are some types of data we have to be extra careful with. These are known as special category data. This could be something like your sexual orientation, religion or ethnic origin. However, we'll only use the minimum amount of this personal information when necessary to prevent crimes and to uphold the law.
Why do we use your personal data?
The main reason the Met gathers and uses your personal data is to know who you are. This is so that we have all the information in order to help you. If there are crimes that you need protecting from, your personal data can help us find and stop these crimes. We'll only use personal information when the law allows us to and where it is needed and reasonable for us to do so.
Whose personal data do we handle?
There are certain situations where we would process your information, these could be when you are:
- a victim
- a witness
- a person suspected of committing an offence
- a person making a complaint or asking a question
We handle your personal information in many different ways, both electronically and paper based. For example, this can be in the form of paper case files, emails, when you call 999, or even CCTV. We also look at the comments from the Met's social media accounts (such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube), to see the feedback we get about how the public feel the Met is doing.
Can we use your personal data for anything?
No. Even though the Met has your personal data, this doesn’t mean we can do what we want with it, we have to follow some rules. Sometimes we have to ask you if we can use it, and if you say no then we can’t.
However, most of the time, we'll need to use your personal data when we do our police work, and we can do this without asking you first. If you contact the Met police by phone, email, on the website or by letter, we have the ability to review this contact because of our Lawful Business Monitoring function. We would never share your personal data with anyone else unless you tell us we can, or we think that doing so will protect you from harm or the law tells us to.
How long do we keep your data?
We'll keep your personal data for as long as needed for our police work. There are different rules for different types of data and we make sure we're following all the rules. A more detailed explanation can be found on the adult version of our privacy notice.
What can you do about the data we hold on you?
The law gives you 'rights' over the personal information the Met holds on you, this means you can:
- ask us how we gather and use your information
- ask for a copy of your information
- ask us to change your information, if you think it’s incorrect
- ask us to delete your information where there is no reason in law for us to keep it
- ask us to stop using your information, if you have a specific reason
If you would like to ask us to do any of the above, you can email the Data Office.
Or write to us:
MPS Data Office
PO Box 313
Sidcup
DA15 0HH
Or you can visit any police station and ask in person.
If you do ask us for any of the above, it can help to have an adult to help you as we may need to check your identity. Once you have asked us, the law says we have to get back to you within a month.
Contact information
If you feel that we're not handling your data correctly or are not following the rules, you can:
Write to us: MPS Data Office PO Box 313 Sidcup DA15 0HH Or email us.
You can also make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Last updated 21 June 2023.