Secure and correct handling of data is increasingly important to effective, modern policing. Criminal investigators can build evidence-based cases for submission to relevant justice institutions by using centralised data collection systems. For such a process to take place in a correct way, officers have to be able to rely on a safe and secure information exchange. This is the case in Palestine, like in Europe. This process is important not only to ensure that sensitive information does not fall into the wrong hands, but also for the safeguard of Human Rights and Gender related sensitive information. 

To support the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) safe and secure information exchanges, EUPOL COPPS handed over technical items, including tablets where software to access to the Police Data base remotely is to be installed, in Ramallah, on 09 June. The tablets are particularly useful for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the PCP for accurate reporting based on collection of information, photos, and other evidence, to be stored in a safe, secured and appropriate manner.  This is important especially when working in the field and/or on the move.  Prior to this hand-over the PCP used obsolete tablets. 

“These items are essential for our work, so far, we were lacking remote access to data from the field. Furthermore, the items are marked with the insignia of the PCP that help us in all kinds of circumstance,” said Head the of Information and Communications Technology, Brigadier Suliman AL Khatib. 

To compensate for the lack of equipment prior to EUPOL COPPS hand-over, Palestinian police staff used also personal mobile phones in the absence of other items, which poses concerns. Now, with the availability of appropriate equipment, General Data Protection, regulations related to Human Rights, such as protection of personal data, obligations, procedures and measures that ensure constitutional compliance, and justification of interference with privacy, dignity, and secrecy of personal data in the processing of personal data, can better be applied.