GENERAL ORDERS LINCOLN POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SECURITY
TITLE: DATA PROTECTION POLICY
EFFECTIVE DATE: JUNE 1, 2025
REVISION DATE:
ACCREDITATION: ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (AACOP)
APPROVAL: CHIEF DARREN E. BRITTON
DATA PROTECTION POLICY
1103.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy applies to the use of information, electronic and computing devices, and network resources to conduct Lincoln Police Department business that interacts with internal networks and department systems, whether owned or controlled by Lincoln Police Department, the employee, or a third party.
All employees, contractors, consultants, temporary, and other workers at the Lincoln Police Department and its subsidiaries are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding the appropriate use of information, electronic devices, and network resources in accordance with Lincoln Police Department policies and standards, local laws, and applicable regulations.
1103.2 POLICY
The Information Technology Unit is responsible for overseeing the acceptable use of Information Technology equipment and access to all related services and systems owned by or assigned to the Lincoln Police Department.
The purpose of this policy is to advise users who access information related to employees, the public, and CJIS-labeled information through the department's network and systems. These rules are in place to protect the employee, authorized users, and Lincoln Police Department. Inappropriate use of data exposes Lincoln Police Department to legal and ethical risks.
1103.3 DATA
(a) All Department data will be:
Accurate and kept up-to-date
Collected fairly and for lawful purposes only
Processed by the department within its legal and moral boundaries
Protected against any unauthorized or illegal access by internal or external parties
Adhere to all CJIS standards.
(b) Our data will not be:
Communicated informally
Stored for more than a specified amount of time
Transferred to organizations, states or countries that do not have adequate data protection policies or authorized need for said data
Distributed to any party in violation to department policies and procedures and applicable state and/or federal laws
(c) To exercise data protection we're committed to:
Restrict and monitor access to sensitive data
Develop transparent data collection procedures
Train employees in online privacy and security measures
Build secure networks to protect online data from cyber attacks
Establish clear procedures for reporting privacy breaches or data misuse
Include contract clauses or communicate statements on how we handle data
Establish data protection practices (document shredding, secure locks, data encryption, frequent backups, access authorization etc.)
1103.4 ENFORCEMENT
Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Exceptions to this policy are documented in section 1100.5.2 of the Acceptable Use Policy.
These policies and operating procedures are not designed to cover every possible scenario or situation in society, but rather to define standard operating procedures for members of the Lincoln Police Department. These guidelines are subject to past, present and future judicial review. These guidelines can be amended and or repealed by the Chief of Police as necessary. The policies and procedures herein provided supersede all previous policies and orders.