Police control of classified information

[David Hansen]

At one time this list was told that under RIP the police would look 
after stolen encryption materials as if they were classified SECRET, 
though this was later replaced with weasel words which amount to 
nothing.

We now know how the police think they should look after SECRET 
material, they tuck a sheet/sheets of paper outside some cardboard 
folders and a ring binder and clutch the bundle under their arm. The 
photograph at <http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/09/bob-quick-
terror-raids-leak> shows this, the white piece of paper has the word 
SECRET written at the top.

Fortunately in my time in the civil service, long ago, I only had to 
deal with a few files classified SECRET and I only had to take such 
papers out of the office once (as it happens to a meeting with a 
variety of people including a couple who were senior police officers). 
The departmental instructions, which were no doubt common with other 
organisations and presumably emanated from some organisation (perhaps 
the security service) or committee with responsibility for such things, 
were that such papers had to be locked in a suitable container at all 
times while out of the office. Our security officer had a suitable 
container one could borrow for this purpose. I suspect that the 
instructions today are very similar, if not identical, today and they 
apply to the police as much as anyone else.

Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt in those who handle such materials 
regularly, not just Mr Quick but those in the "assistance centre" where 
stolen cryptographc materials are handled.

Had I been photographed carrying such documents tucked under my arm I 
doubt that I would have been allowed to resign. I imagine I would have 
been sacked and prosecuted, rightly so.

When some of us raised these issues we were told that we were 
exaggerating, wild-eyed, anti-police fantasists. People can now judge 
the accuracy of those warnings and the "reassurances" given by the Home 
Office. It gives me no pleasure to say, I told you so.



-- 
  David Hansen, Edinburgh 
 I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents 
me   
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54