July 5, 2016
North Yorkshire Police has been ranked one of the highest in England for the number of data breaches.
A freedom of information request from the campaign group Big Brother Watch revealed the number of times confidential data was accessed with no specific policing reason.
North Yorkshire was the sixth highest in England with 98 cases of information being misused. Forty two of them involved staff accessing police systems without a policing reason.
Cleveland Police had 17 breaches. One special constable was dismissed after passing on private information to a relative about somebody who had been arrested.
Durham Police recorded 13 cases, five involved staff accessing police systems with no policing reason – those five staff resigned prior to a misconduct hearing.
Northumbria Police did not reveal their figures in the Freedom of Information request.