Access personal data

The Data Protection legislation provides you with a right to ask for a copy of personal data held about you, unless certain exemptions apply.  This is known as 'subject access.'

 The process below will advise you on how to access personal data held about you such as:

• crime reports
• incidents logs
• statements
• photographs and/or video footage.

To apply for access to information held on Suffolk Constabulary systems we will need copies of two official documents to help establish your identity. For example: birth certificate, driving licence, passport, medical card, bank statement, utility bill, rent agreement. 

It will assist with processing your application if one of the documents is a photographic identity document such as your passport or driving licence.

Do not send original documents as these will not be returned. 

Apply using one of the following ways:

• apply online
• fill in the subject access request from
• write to the Data Protection Team using the address below:

Data Protection Team            
Suffolk Constabulary         
Martlesham Heath        
Ipswich                
Suffolk                
IP5 3QS    

or by Email: [email protected]

You can expect a response to be provided to you within one calendar month following receipt of the completed form and satisfactory proof of your identity.

You will be entitled to your information only and not to information relating to or which can identify another person. If you think that information might be held about you that may identify or have been provided by another person, you may want to obtain their written consent to enable the information to be provided to you. They will also need to provide satisfactory proof of identity.

The legislation allows us to extend the response period by a further two months where requests are complex or numerous.  If this is the case, we will inform you within one month of receipt of your request and explain why the extension is necessary.

If you want to know if you have any convictions or cautions you need to follow the process below:

Applications are processed by an organisation called ACRO (Criminal Records Office) and not by us so we cannot accept these forms.

You will need to complete an ACRO application form which can be found on their website..

If you have questions about this please call ACRO on 02380 479920 or email [email protected].

If no information is held about you, you will receive a letter confirming this.

Applications for Employment Purposes or Personal License

• If a check is required for employment purposes or a personal license, Disclosure Scotland produces certificates for both individuals and employers.
• Basic disclosures will provide only unspent conviction information.
• For more information visit www.disclosurescotland.co.uk .

Employment involving access to children, vulnerable adults or the elderly

• If you are applying for certain job roles or voluntary positions, you may be asked to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, especially if you will be working with young people or vulnerable adults.
• Types of check :
• Standard – discloses spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings.
• Enhanced – discloses everything in a standard check plus information locally-held by police forces, which is relevant to the position applied for.
• Enhanced with list check – discloses everything in an enhanced check and checks the ‘barred list’ (people barred from working with adults or children).
• For further information: visit https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service or ring 03000 200 190.

Please note: The Suffolk Police DBS Disclosure Unit deals with DBS requests for enhanced checks.

Application for a Criminal Record Check when working with children overseas

• An International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) is provided by ACRO.
• To contact ACRO direct visit www.acro.police.uk or ring 02380 479920 – if calling from outside the UK, ring +44 19628 71111 or email [email protected].