Privacy Impact Assessment - Police Reporting and Occurrence System (PROS)

Executive Summary

This report contains a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for the RCMP Police Reporting and Occurrence System (PROS) Project. RCMP officials demonstrated PROS to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner on October 15, 2004.

The scope of this PIA is broad and encompasses the harmonization of the currently used Police Information Retrieval System (PIRS), Operations Statistical Reporting (OSR) and Simplified Paperless Universal Reporting System (SPURS) through the development and implementation of a state of the art robust occurrence/records management system (O/RMS) which will meet the needs of the 21 st Century law enforcement and support the mission of the RCMP.

Currently, two applications, namely PIRS (Police Information Retrieval System) and OSR (Operational Statistical Reporting), process approximately 2.5 million occurrence files per year, and are central and vital instruments used to support the law enforcement mission of the RCMP.

PIRS is an investigative information recording and retrieval system containing detailed information on all events reported to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is considered an indexing system of data fields and accommodates limited free text entry. SPURS is a database that extends the need for unlimited free text capability and is associated to PIRS through a common occurrence number. SPURS also provides the automation of scoring of calls for service, increased data integrity, the reduction of paper-burden on front line investigators and the introduction of electronic filing and workflow. An interface between PIRS and SPURS ensures that simultaneous archiving or purging of information occurs. OSR is the mechanism that collects statistical data from PIRS.

PIRS and OSR are 19 and 17 years old respectively, have outlived any lifecycle expectations and no longer meet organizational requirements. A robust occurrence/records management system (O/RMS) is vital to support effective policing. The lack of such an application is an impediment to the RCMP meeting the continually evolving demands placed on a modern-day law enforcement agency.

PROS is the RCMP solution to its modern-day policing needs and will meet strategic objectives by ensuring consolidated and timely information at the working levels on a national basis. It will over time replace the RCMP’s legacy systems: PIRS, OSR and SPURS. PROS will provide automated capabilities to create, store, update, maintain, retrieve, sequester, purge and dispose of information. Authorized users will have the ability to record and manage details of court proceedings from the time the original charges are laid through the disposition of charges. Furthermore, PROS will provide a common platform for sharing information to respond more efficiently to requests in areas such as Access to Information and Privacy Acts.

PROS will enhance integrated policing through exchange of strategic criminal “intelligence” and therefore lay the RCMP foundation that will meet the requirements for an integrated justice information system. External police agencies support the concept of integrated policing and have requested the installation of PROS and its recognition as their official Records Management System (RMS) in their respective locations. Thirty-eight non-RCMP PIRS police agencies would adopt PROS, as well as some law enforcement agencies who presently have either an outdated RMS or no electronic RMS at all. It is important to note that British Columbia uses BC Police Records Information Management Environment (BC PRIME), as mandated by the province, and will not adopt PROS as their RMS.

All agencies using PROS will be subject to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This MOU will be specific to each agency and outline the terms and conditions for access to information by contributing agencies. Additionally each agency will contact their provincial Privacy Commissioner or Ombudsman to advise of their use of PROS as their official RMS and to secure feedback on the proposal. The comparable of a Privacy Impact Assessment (dependant upon provincial requirements) will be completed and forwarded to their respective privacy office for comment. Each agency will also provide a signed copy of the MOU to their respective provincial Privacy Commissioner or Ombudsman. All police forces using PROS will be required to adopt Federal retention and disposal regulations. As each agency is scheduled for implementation, an addendum and the associated MOU will be forwarded to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada for review and comment.

The events of September 11 th, 2001, have brought about a greater sense of urgency for the RCMP to expedite the delivery of a modern O/RMS to its frontline police officers.

Canadian citizens will benefit and be provided with more effective policing through improved information management. As the new improved occurrence management and reporting system, PROS will also directly address the Federal Government’s and the RCMP’s priority to provide “Safer Homes and Safer Communities for Canadians” as mentioned in the 1999 and 2001 Speeches from the Throne.

External Partners

• Alberta
  Camrose Police Service
  Taber Police Service
  North Peace Tribal Police Service
• Manitoba
  Brandon Police Service
• Nova Scotia
  Truro Police Department
  New Glasgow Police Service
  Stellarton Police Service
  Trenton Police Department
  Westville Police Department
  Amherst Police Department
  Bridgewater Police Department
  Springhill Police Department
  Annapolis Royal Police Department
  Kentville Police Service'
• Prince Edward Island
  Charlottetown Police Department
  Summerside Police Service
  Borden-Carleton Community Police Service
  Kensington Police Service
• Saskatchewan
  Estevan Police Service
  File Hills Police Service
  Stoughton Police Service