By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:04 EST, 14 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:44 EST, 16 September 2013 . Dozens of police workers are being investigated every year for misusing force computers to obtain confidential information, raising fresh fears over the scale of the hidden hacking scandal. Official figures show that at least 29 officers and staff faced disciplinary hearings in 2012 for misuse of the Police National Computer (PNC) database. The PNC database contains details of millions of crimes, suspects and cars. Investigation: Of the 29 officers and staff facing disciplinary hearings in 2012 for misuse of the PNC database, 23 were from the Metropolitan Police (stock image) Some were reprimanded for looking up details for personal use – but in the past, the database has been abused by corrupt police working with rogue private investigators. Of the 29 cases last year, 23 were in the Met. Nationwide, most officers who conducted illegal PNC searches – in breach of the Data Protection Act –  were let off with warnings and allowed to keep their jobs. Across all 43 forces in England and Wales, a total of 249 officers and 171 civilian staff faced discipline for computer misuse. However, many forces would not say how many involved the PNC. Just seven of these were sacked, a further ten resigned or retired, and the rest were given no warning or sanction. But Staffordshire Chief Constable Mike Cunningham insisted: ‘Any instances are investigated thoroughly and staff are dealt with proportionately.’ Warning: Most officers who conducted illegal PNC searches were let off with warnings and allowed to keep their jobs (library image)
Police .
National Computer (PNC) database contains details of millions of crimes, suspects and cars .
Figures show that at least 29 officers .
and staff faced disciplinary hearings last year for misusing it .
Most officers who conducted illegal PNC .
searches – in breach of the Data Protection Act –  were let off with .
warnings and allowed to keep their jobs .
By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:04 EST, 14 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:44 EST, 16 September 2013 . Dozens of police workers are being investigated every year for misusing force computers to obtain confidential information, raising fresh fears over the scale of the hidden hacking scandal. Official figures show that at least 29 officers and staff faced disciplinary hearings in 2012 for misuse of the Police National Computer (PNC) database. The PNC database contains details of millions of crimes, suspects and cars. Investigation: Of the 29 officers and staff facing disciplinary hearings in 2012 for misuse of the PNC database, 23 were from the Metropolitan Police (stock image) Some were reprimanded for looking up details for personal use – but in the past, the database has been abused by corrupt police working with rogue private investigators. Of the 29 cases last year, 23 were in the Met. Nationwide, most officers who conducted illegal PNC searches – in breach of the Data Protection Act –  were let off with warnings and allowed to keep their jobs. Across all 43 forces in England and Wales, a total of 249 officers and 171 civilian staff faced discipline for computer misuse. However, many forces would not say how many involved the PNC. Just seven of these were sacked, a further ten resigned or retired, and the rest were given no warning or sanction. But Staffordshire Chief Constable Mike Cunningham insisted: ‘Any instances are investigated thoroughly and staff are dealt with proportionately.’ Warning: Most officers who conducted illegal PNC searches were let off with warnings and allowed to keep their jobs (library image)
show that at least 29 officers and staff faced Police National Computer (PNC) database. The PNC database contains details of millions of crimes, officers and staff facing disciplinary hearings conducted illegal PNC searches – in breach of the Data Protection Act –  were let off with warnings proportionately.’ Warning: Most officers who warnings and allowed to keep their jobs (library