Police Charge Management System
The police have several record keeping systems which have been consolidated into one “Charge Management System”. This includes information in addition to criminal records, including:
- questioning by police
- arrests
- police warnings and formal cautions given to children
- youth justice conferences
- charges
- fingerprints and photos taken when you are charged
- convictions
- section 10 dismissals and discharges
- sentences
Police also keep information about people on the COPS system (Computerised Operational Policing System).
The information kept in the Police Charge Management System and the Computerised Operational Policing System is usually not disclosed to employers or the general public. It is possible to get a copy of this information through the Freedom of Information Application.
It is possible to have these police records destroyed by making an application to the Police Commissioner but only if the Commissioner is satisfied that either:
- The person is acquitted or their conviction quashed on appeal
- The charges have been withdrawn or dismissed
- A discharge without conviction is over 15 years old and there has been no further convictions
- The information in the records relates to very old and minor convictions
If you have been charged with an offence, or are seeking further information on a Criminal or Traffic legal matter, call North Shore Criminal Law on (02) 9955 2298 or our 24 hour Emergency Service on 0400 44 64 24.
