Background

Sir Michael Bichard's inquiry into the Soham murders lead to recommendations for the improvement of the management and sharing of information and intelligence by Police Forces at national and local levels.

IMPACT

The IMPACT Programme is continuously working at a national level, helping to improve the ability of Police Forces to manage and share information at national and local levels.
As it stands, each force’s information is unavailable to any other force; however the IMPACT Programme is currently working on three main projects in order to improve the management and sharing of information:

• Management of Police Information (MoPI): All forces must be MoPI compliant by December 2010. The main aim of the MoPI Code of Practice (CoP) is to ensure that all forces manage and share information with the same intentions, thus emphasising corporacy at a national level. (see below)
• IMPACT Nominal Index (INI): allows forces to search a national database to see whether any other force holds information on a particular individual.
• Police National Database (PND): will allow officers and staff to search information held across all other forces' localised systems and national police systems.

The recommendations of the Bichard Inquiry and the developments of the IMPACT Programme have turned around the nations attitude towards policing in a sense that it is now essential to share information, rather than play our cards close to our chests. The lessons learnt from the mismanaged information held on Ian Huntley – the Soham murderer, demonstrates the need to share and manage information effectively.

Find out more about IMPACT at: http://www.npia.police.uk/en/8489.htm

The Management of Police Information (MoPI)

MoPI, was introduced in 2005, as a result of the recommendations of the Bichard enquiry report. It is being implemented by all police forces in England and Wales. 
Information is invaluable if it is not accurate, relevant or accessible. MoPI ensures that all information is managed in a consistent way. The code and guidance make sure that this happens.
"The transfer of information between forces is now paramount. It's the lifeblood of the organisation . we need to make sure that the intelligence and information which we hold on people is fully accurate and that the transfer of this between forces actually exists and happens."  Gary Thompson, Superintendent, Gloucestershire (http://www.npia.police.uk/en/8492.htm NPIA Website)

Information Compliance Unit (ICU)

The Information Compliance Unit (ICU) puts into practise the Review, Retention and Disposal (RRD) of requirements of MoPI and implements MoPI into business as usual.

If you wish to contact us please email: Information_Compliance_Unit@cumbria.police.uk