Calls to Emergency Services Joint Control Room

Summary

The requester asked for the Emergency Services Joint Control Room's policy and retention schedule for recorded calls. The Department of Home Affairs stated it does not hold a specific written policy but disclosed that call records are retained for 7 years with automatic deletion unless extended for investigative purposes.

Key Facts

• The Department of Home Affairs does not hold a specific written policy on call recordings for the Emergency Services Joint Control Room.
• Electronic records of telephone calls and TETRA Radio messages are held by Computer Aided Dispatch and Voice Recorder systems.
• The current retention period for recorded calls is 7 years.
• Automatic deletion of records occurs daily for those reaching the 7-year timeframe.
• Retention periods may be extended if records are needed for investigative or evidential purposes.

Data Disclosed

• 4006617
• 2024-07-23
• 2024-08-19
• 14 August 2024
• 7 years
• Section 15
• Freedom of Information Act 2015

Original Request

1. Please disclose the Emergency Services Joint Control Room's policy regarding recorded calls. 2. Please disclose the Emergency Services Joint Control Room's retention policy regarding recorded calls.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Coordinator DHA Headquarters Tromode Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 5AP

Telephone: (01624) 687017 Web address: www.gov.im/dha
Email: DPO-DHA@dha.gov.im

Our ref: 4006617 14 August 2024

Dear ###

We write further to your request to the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), received 23 July 2024, which states:

"1. Please disclose the Emergency Services Joint Control Room's policy regarding recorded calls.

1. Please disclose the Emergency Services Joint Control Room's retention policy regarding recorded calls."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the DHA does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested.

The Emergency Services Joint Control Room (ESJCR), a function of the Communications Division in the DHA do not hold a specific policy on call recordings.

To provide you with advice and assistance with this request in accordance with our duty under Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015, the ESJCR have provided further information in line with your questions;

1. The Computer Aided Dispatch and Voice Recorder systems hold electronic records of all events logged, this includes telephone calls and TETRA Radio messages on set channels.

2. The current retention period for recorded calls is 7 years for both systems. Automatic deletion of records takes place daily in line with any records that have reached this timeframe. If needed for investigative or evidential purposes, these records may be subject to an extension period. This would be determined by the relevant service and would need to have the legal and necessary means to do so.

Please quote the reference number 4006617 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.