The University receives requests, from time to time, from law enforcement agencies for access to information held by the University for law enforcement purposes. Law enforcement agencies include the police, HMRC, local authorities and various other public bodies.

Law enforcement purposes include the prevention, investigation, detection or prosecution of criminal offences, or the execution of criminal penalties (which includes the safeguarding against and the prevention of threats to public security).

These requests include requests for access to CCTV and body-worn video camera footage, details concerning individuals' contact details, and details concerning availability of access to the internet.

The University handles these requests in accordance with its legal obligations, including under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and within a reasonable timescale normally not exceeding one month.

The Legal and Compliance Services team maintains a record of all requests received by the University.

The University's student discipline and safeguarding teams will be notified if a request is received which raises disciplinary or safeguarding concerns respectively.

All requests for access to information from law enforcement agencies should be directed to infocompliance@warwick.ac.uk. Requests made in person, e.g. by a uniformed police officer, should normally be made to the Legal and Compliance Services team. Our phone number for requests is 07385 037188 (office hours only).

Alternative arrangements may apply in cases of emergency. An emergency includes taking urgent steps to prevent serious physical harm or loss of life, to protect public health, to safeguard vulnerable adults or children, or to obviate immediate threats to national security. You will find emergency contact details on the Community Safety webpage.

All requests must:

• specify the information which is required;
• state the purpose and explain the reason for the request; and
• be made or countersigned by an officer of the rank of Inspector or above.

The University may seek clarification if any aspect of the request is not clear or if it requires further information to consider the request. The University assesses each request on its own merits.

The University does not require that requests are made in any particular format, but it may enable the University to respond to your request sooner if you use the template request formLink opens in a new window.

Naturally, the University cannot provide information which it does not hold. The University will only share as much personal data with law enforcement agencies in response to a request:

• as is necessary:
  • for the purposes of the law enforcement agency's legitimate interests (e.g. the location of an offender), or
  • for the purposes of a task performed in the public interest (e.g. the University's Prevent duty); or
  • to protect somebody's vital interests (e.g. in an emergency), or
  • to comply with a legal obligation (e.g. in response to a court order), or
  • with the consent of the data subject in all other circumstances; and
• as is adequate, relevant and limited to the purpose for the request; and
• in accordance with its privacy notices; or otherwise
  • where to do so would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, or the assessment or collection of a tax, duty or other similar imposition; or
  • to comply with a legal obligation e.g. a court order.