Police asking where such and such live....

[newtimes]

where.jpg

[stokes11eg]

Maybe things have changed since I was a postie, but we were told we divulged nothing--even to the police--

[ebbzie]

Tell the Police you think the person they are looking for lives at the biggest moaner on your walk addresss

[janitor]

Had similar a few times when delivering parcels, a bailiff asked if he could look at the name on the parcel I had tried to deliver, he reckoned he had the right, as he was an officer of the court, told him no he didn't he walked off in a huff, told DOM on return to office, he said if he was a officer of the court he should have known better. We then had a briefing about not divulging addresses including to court officials and police, he said if police give you grief about it send them to me, at the next wtll session.

[dvbuk55]

Maybe things have changed since I was a postie, but we were told we divulged nothing--even to the police--

What, not even preferences stokesie when banged up in a cell for D&D on a Friday night

[wabbithunta]

Had similar a few times when delivering parcels, a bailiff asked if he could look at the name on the parcel I had tried to deliver, he reckoned he had the right, as he was an officer of the court, told him no he didn't he walked off in a huff, told DOM on return to office, he said if he was a officer of the court he should have known better. We then had a briefing about not divulging addresses including to court officials and police, he said if police give you grief about it send them to me, at the next wtll session.

I had a similar incident about a year ago, a bailiff came up to me asking for a certain address and the name of the occupant, I told him I knew where the house was and also who lived there, but refused to give the details. I also told him (more or less these words)
"if you're really an officer of the court then you'd already have this information and wouldn't need to ask me, a postie, in the street, and anyway I can't divulge info like that as I've signed the Official Secrets Act, thereby stopping me from divulging that kind of information to all and sundry. Now if you want directions to a particular place I'd be more than happy to help, but beyond that... sorry I'm not at liberty to divulge that kind of information."

And I carried on with my delivery, and looking back behind me I watched as he walked back to his beat up batter van and got in, made a call, and then drove off! I did phone it in to the office just after he left, but heard nothing more about it.

[Dee Plish]

Have always been told to politely refuse any requests for information from the old bill, and to suggest they ring up a Royal Mail manager who will deal with them accordingly. As long as it isn't during one of the many coffee and donut hours...

[gluteus maximus]

29 Crime and taxation.

(1)Personal data processed for any of the following purposes—

(a)the prevention or detection of crime,

(b)the apprehension or prosecution of offenders, or

(c)the assessment or collection of any tax or duty or of any imposition of a similar nature,

are exempt from the first data protection principle

[janitor]

But it doesn't exempt the fact that you have signed the official secrets act, that you must not divulge any personal information that you have obtained in the execution of your duty. In other words get a warrant and discuss it with the DOM.

[gluteus maximus]

What makes you think you have signed the Official Secrets Act. That went out i would think with the old GPO (stand to be corrected though)

What you will have as to your contract of employment is a non disclosure clause, not the Official Secrets Act

[Tman]

Indeed, and the Official Secrets Act is nothing to do with divulging where someone lives to all and sundry.
How could info covered by the said Act be freely available on the Electoral Roll?

[janitor]

Nope it was the official secrets act, and was stated as such at the induction. Mind you I suppose 17 years ago could be described as the dark ages, but have heard people who started after that mention having to sign it, and the DOM reminding someone who started within the last six years, that they had signed it, the DOM could be wrong but the OPG didn't disagree.

[janitor]

Then why ask you, just consult the electoral role. The fact is you are not supposed to divulge information you have obtained by your work for RM, no matter how the police or who ever find out someone's address, it should not be from a postie.

[wabbithunta]

What makes you think you have signed the Official Secrets Act. That went out i would think with the old GPO (stand to be corrected though)

What you will have as to your contract of employment is a non disclosure clause, not the Official Secrets Act

Namely the document that was placed in front of me when I was on my induction course, stating that I was to abide by this very document, unless someone was playing silly buggers and thought they'd wind up about 20 new posties all at the same time. This was ten years ago, by the way.

[gluteus maximus]

All Royal Mail Group employees are required to sign a ‘Personal Declaration’ upon
commencing their employment. This covers the responsibilities of Royal Mail and its
employees in terms of safeguarding mail, how to deal with confidential information, our
internal Code of Business Standards and the Data Protection Act 1998. The ‘Personal
Declaration’ is not part of the Official Secrets Act, and the form makes no reference to this
Act.