Digital Forensic Labs (942A/21)
Request
1. Are your digital forensic labs ISO 17025 certified?
2. Has your force ever used a third-party organisation/service to carry out digital forensics? If so:
a. Which third-party organisation/service did you use?
b. On how many separate occasions have you used them during the period 2019-2021?
c. What safeguards are in place to ensure third-party services are certified?
3. Does your digital forensic lab follow MOPI guidelines?
a. If not. Can you provide the guidelines followed by your force?
4. Where is your digital evidence stored? (Internally/ Externally)
Response
1. Are your digital forensic labs ISO 17025 certified?
Yes
2. Has your force ever used a third-party organisation/service to carry out digital forensics?
Yes
If so:
2a. Which third-party organisation/service did you use?
This information is exempt from release (see below and attached)
2b. On how many separate occasions have you used them during the period 2019-2021?
This information is exempt from release (see below and attached)
2c. What safeguards are in place to ensure third-party services are certified?
Approved by the head of West Midlands Police Forensic Services Department, who complete all the relevant checks.
3. Does your digital forensic lab follow MOPI guidelines?
Yes
3a. If not. Can you provide the guidelines followed by your force?
Not Applicable – see 3 above
4. Where is your digital evidence stored? (Internally/ Externally)
Internally
Q2a and Q2b – We can confirm that some relevant information is held by West Midlands Police. However, we are withholding that information since it is exempt by virtue of the following:
Section 31(1)(a)(b) (Law enforcement)
This exemption and explanatory notes are shown here:
In line with the above, I am required to complete a Prejudice Test/Public Interest Test (PIT) on disclosure. Please find this PIT attached (942A_21_PIT.pdf).