National Identification Service
Encyclopedia
The National Identification Service (NIS; also called SO4 from its Specialist Operations
designation) is a department of the London
Metropolitan Police
which provides a range of support services on behalf of the Metropolitan Police and other police forces.
All SO4's services are connected with criminal record
s and include a remit to act as the National Identification Service (NIS). The Metropolitan Police has had a national role in keeping criminal records since the 18th century but it was not until 1913 that the Criminal Record Office was established at New Scotland Yard. The NIS had sole responsibility for maintaining the national database of criminal records until 1995 but, since then, each police force in England
and Wales
has been responsible for updating its own records on the Police National Computer
. The NIS continues to provide a number of centralised maintenance and disclosure services for police forces.
SO4 also conducts background checks on London residents or former residents who have applied to the Criminal Records Bureau
for an enhanced disclosure, deals with subject access requests under the Data Protection Act and publishes the Police Gazette
on behalf of the UK Police Forces.
Specialist Operations
Specialist Operations is a directorate of the Metropolitan Police. At its peak, SO was a group of twenty specialist units, which were formed to give the Metropolitan Police a specialist policing capability. The SO designation was implemented in 1986 as part of Sir Kenneth Newman's restructuring of...
designation) is a department of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
which provides a range of support services on behalf of the Metropolitan Police and other police forces.
All SO4's services are connected with criminal record
Criminal record
A criminal record is a record of a person's criminal history, generally used by potential employers, lenders etc. to assess his or her trustworthiness. The information included in a criminal record varies between countries and even between jurisdictions within a country...
s and include a remit to act as the National Identification Service (NIS). The Metropolitan Police has had a national role in keeping criminal records since the 18th century but it was not until 1913 that the Criminal Record Office was established at New Scotland Yard. The NIS had sole responsibility for maintaining the national database of criminal records until 1995 but, since then, each police force in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
has been responsible for updating its own records on the Police National Computer
Police National Computer
The Police National Computer is a computer system used extensively by law enforcement organisations across the United Kingdom. It went live in 1974 and now consists of several databases available 24 hours a day, giving access to information of national and local significance.From October 2009, the...
. The NIS continues to provide a number of centralised maintenance and disclosure services for police forces.
SO4 also conducts background checks on London residents or former residents who have applied to the Criminal Records Bureau
Criminal Records Bureau
The Criminal Records Bureau , is an Executive Agency of the Home Office, which provides wider access to criminal record information through its Disclosure service for England and Wales...
for an enhanced disclosure, deals with subject access requests under the Data Protection Act and publishes the Police Gazette
Police Gazette (UK)
The Police Gazette was a magazine produced in London from 1772 onwards, for circulation among all the police forces of Britain. Its primary purpose was to publish notices of wanted criminals with requests for information, and where appropriate to offer rewards -History:'The Quarterly Pursuit' was...
on behalf of the UK Police Forces.