Emily Keaney writes:
In February, the ICO announced it would be asking Lancashire Police to set out how they reached the decision to include personal information in media statements as they sought to find Nicola Bulley.
This was an important piece of work around a high profile case. We wanted to reassure the public that there are rules in place to protect how personal information is used and shared. And we wanted to be clear that while police can disclose information to protect the public and investigate crime, they would need to be able to demonstrate such disclosure was necessary and proportionate.
We have now spoken with Lancashire Police to better understand the steps they took before releasing information. We heard in those conversations the challenging nature of considering whether and how to share personal information during fast paced, important cases. Based on our conversations with Lancashire Police, we don’t consider this case requires enforcement action. We’ll be able to provide further details around this decision following the inquest into Nicola Bulley’s death.
Read more at the ICO’s Blog.