Redacting police records
Every mark coded. The original never changes.
Police records carry names, witness details, investigative methods and police codes. Redaction has to be consistent across every page, explained in the index and impossible to undo in the released file. Confirm exemptions with your counsel; this page is not legal advice.
Book a demoExemption codesThe codes a police service uses, one click each.
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The codes a police service uses, one click each.
The CommonWatch review desk offers these codes for each box drawn on a page:
- s. 8(1)(l): police codes
- s. 8(1)(c): investigative techniques
- s. 8(1)(e): officer and public safety
- s. 14(1): personal privacy
- s. 38(a) and s. 38(b): law enforcement and privacy, for a requester's own file
- s. 10(1): third-party information
- s. 12: solicitor-client privilege
- NR: not responsive
Index of recordsEvery record, every page, every code in one index.
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Every record, every page, every code in one index.
Each record shows its page count, review state and the codes applied, with the reason. The index exports to CSV for the decision letter and for an appeal.
What did we miss?Find a name withheld on one page and visible on another.
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Find a name withheld on one page and visible on another.
Before release, a check reads every page on the analyst's computer and looks for words already withheld that still appear without a box. Nothing is sent to an outside AI service.
Safe release filesRebuild the release from page images.
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Rebuild the release from page images.
A box drawn over text in a PDF can leave the text underneath. CommonWatch never edits the original: an independent service rebuilds each release from page images, so no hidden text, layers or metadata are carried over. Staff can compare the original and the release side by side, and check the release on their own computer.
ApprovalA second person approves every release.
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A second person approves every release.
The person who prepared a release cannot approve it; the server enforces this. Every mark, approval and release stays in the audit trail.
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