Bart Custers: Unauthorised access of police files constitutes a data breach
In the media image: Mariia Berezovsky on Unsplash+
Police officers in the Netherlands cannot access data in police systems without a legitimate reason, but it still happens. In regional newspaper ‘de Stentor’, Bart Custers, Professor of Law and Data Science, says: ‘The systems are not up to standard.’
Police officers are not permitted to browse police databases for information about family members, acquaintances or celebrities, yet such incidents continue to occur. In 2024, 180 officers were disciplined for improperly accessing records. The most high-profile case involved the murder last year of the teenager Lisa from Abcoude, where 1,700 officers accessed her file. Not all officers have access to every police system. Some databases are restricted and can only be accessed by specific groups, such as detectives.
Given the number of disciplinary cases and incidents involving police officers, Bart Custers believes the police are not doing enough to prevent misuse: ‘The systems are not up to standard. Officers have access to highly sensitive information. Unauthorised access constitutes a data breach and is prohibited.’ The police say that restricting access is impractical, partly because of the intensive nationwide cooperation between different police units. However, the organisation says it is working on improved monitoring systems and greater awareness among staff.
Custers fears that, for some people, curiosity will continue to get the better of them: ‘This is not unique to the police force. You see the same thing in hospitals, where staff sometimes look up the records of a celebrity. So, thorough auditing and monitoring are essential.’
More information?
Read the full article in de Stentor (€, in Dutch)