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National Standards can be classified based on whether they are conceptual, rule based or value based:
- Principles - The defining characteristic of a principle document is that it is conceptual. It describes a target state or end goal without specifying how it will be achieved.
- Guidance/Policies/Standards - The defining characteristic of guidance, policies and standards are that they are rule based. The document specifies the rules to be applied to achieve a particular state.
- Technical Reference Templates - The defining characteristic of a template is that it is value based. It specifies exactly the values that must be used.
National Standards graded 4Pol are standards which meet the below criteria and should be considered first, before any other standard in that category, as they fit the National Policing Digital Strategy allowing forces and suppliers to converge on a single set of standards.
4Pol Criteria:
- Support minimum legal requirements where they exist
- Align with the National Policing Digital Strategy to ensure strategic alignment and design
- Align with the TechUK Justice & Emergency Services Interoperability Charter to deliver better data sharing, exchanging and exploitation
- Direct relevance and applicability to policing
- Represent best practice
- Able to be measured and achieved within the unique landscape of policing
National Standards graded MLR stem directly from legislative requirements, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) standards. These are National Standards which represent the minimum requirements to ensure that data and technology in use is operated in a lawfully compliant manner. These should be considered the baseline in applicable categories.
National Standards are divided into broad categories based on their focus. To recognise there is no clear dividing line, some National Standards may possess two categories, but the selected category reflects the primary focus of the National Standard:
- Analytics - Digital systems capable of creating actionable information from structured or unstructured data
- Asset Management - The way in which IT assets are acquired, used and disposed of
- Incident, Crime and Records Management Systems
- Digital systems used to manage policing and corporate records
- Cloud - Remote, off-premises computer system resources which host a range of functions across a potentially wide range of distributed sites
- Data - Information held in a structured or unstructured digital format
- Devices - Physical devices capable of viewing, changing, creating, distributing or storing digital information
- Digital Media - Media stored in an electronic format from any source
- Enterprise Resource Planning - Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is the management of integrated business processes via a software solution
- Forensics - The use of investigative technology and methodology to gather intelligence and admissible evidence
- Intelligence Systems - Digital system used to view, change, create, distribute or store sensitive digital information
- Justice - Systems, technologies and methodologies used within the Criminal Justice System
- Mobility - Software specifically designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet or watch
- Office Productivity & Collaboration Systems - Software specifically designed to address specific business needs such as communication, collaboration, document creation and content management
- Operational Policing - Specialist operational policing functions
- Security - The technology and methodology used in the protection of digital assets and services
Tags are assigned to National Standards to help users find grouped / related documentation
Retrieval of Video Evidence and production of working copies from digital CCTV Systems (Version 2.0)
Digital CCTV installations vary greatly in terms of the recording methods as a result of varying solutions with different capabilities and functionality which are used to capture picture and video evidence with export facilities provided.
This document provides guidance on the retrieval of video from any digital CCTV system in its native file format and the methods for the production of working copies in non-native file formats, where this is necessary to facilitate further processing or replay in court.
The document contains a flowchart to help the user select the most appropriate retrieval method to use for any given CCTV system. Explanatory notes are also provided for each option and guidance
given for assessing the practicality and suitability of each technique to ensure that the right retrieval method is selected to uphold evidential integrity.
The guidance also covers the production of working copies, specifically where this involves a conversion between video formats.
Options have also been presented for final storage of the working copy. Information is given as to the suitability of each conversion technique and storage medium, so that appropriate choices can be made to best minimise the potential degradation in image quality.
A checklist of actions is provided when retrieving data to ensure that all relevant information is captured and evidential integrity is maintained.
Extraction of material from digital devices APP
This document sets out the obligations on the police under the Data Protection Act 2018 and how these interact with other relevant legislation and case law. It provides police officers and staff with a set of principles to inform how they obtain digital devices – most often mobile phones but also laptops and other computers – from victims, witnesses and suspects for the purpose of an investigation and how they then extract the digital material from those devices. It will also help the public understand the responsibilities of the police when gathering evidence, obtaining devices and accessing the material held on them.
NPCC Digital Imaging and Multimedia Procedure (Version 3)
This document covers digital multimedia, inclusive of picture, video and audio in the proper capture and handling of digital data for police applications. This represents best practice to benefit the Police Service and Criminal Justice System (CJS).
Following the process set out within this document helps enhance the integrity of proper evidential gathering processes whilst reducing the risk of malicious manipulation.
ACPO Good Practice Guide for Digital Evidence (Version 5)
This ACPO guide contains a set of golden principles for management of digital evidence and guidance on each stage in the evidence lifecycle: Plan, Capture, Analyse and Present. This guide represents good practice across a broad digital forensic landscape for policing.
Although dated, this guide has been reviewed in March 2021 by the National Standards Assurance Board and deemed current and relevant.