Statement by Ballymoney TUV Councillor Jonathan McAuley
“The news of another two data breaches within the last few days by the PSNI is highly disturbing. This brings the total to at least four serious examples in the last twelve months.
“This time last year it was highly alarming when a local, senior member of the Apprentice Boys of Derry got a phone call to say that papers containing his details were blowing about in a garden in Bushmills. Following collection of these and a meeting of the local Amalgamated committee it transpired that these were documents the police had obtained from the Parades Commission. They included the names, addresses and phone numbers of a member of every branch club in Garvagh, Coleraine, Bushmills, Rasharkin and the outlying areas.
“Unfortunately two highly sensitive documents relating to villages within my electoral area have still to this day not been found.
“Following meetings with the police and an internal investigation held by them, a member of the force eventually admitted to having dropped the documents in Bushmills by accident. The PSNI decided at this stage to monitor the employee and put him on a GDPR course.
“Following this we had a brief Presidential visit by Joe Biden to Belfast. Hours before President Biden was due to speak at Ulster University’s Belfast campus, the BBC’s Nolan Show broke the story that it had been shown a document linked to the visit. The document, reportedly found on the street, was marked “sensitive”. It later transpired the document had lists and names of police officers in charge of the area.
“Fast forward a few months and it is now confirmed by the PSNI that they have had a further two serious data breaches, one pertaining to the details of around 10,700 employees and the other pertaining to the details of another 200 officers and staff.
“Thoughts have to be with those whose details have been leaked. It’s no doubt been a massive mistake, but where does it end? Thankfully information was held more efficiently during the Troubles. It must be remembered 302 officers lost their lives at the hands of terrorists, had these incidents occurred 30 years ago they could have had catastrophic outcomes. With this is mind and with the current terrorist threat level having been raised, surely the PSNI have massive changes to make as to how they hold data.
“If the PSNI can’t look after their own details how are we to have faith that they can look after ours?”