FOI release

FOI-0018: redacted response

Published 20 October 2026

Office of the Forensic Science Regulator
c/o Home Office Science
23 Stephenson Street
Birmingham
B2 4BJ

FSRFOI@forensicscienceregulator.gov.uk

13 November 2023

Via email: [redacted]

Dear [redacted]

FSR-FOI-0018

Thank you for your e-mail of 16 October 2023, in which you ask for the following:

1. A list of what legislation and policy the FSR stipulated that the NPCC should ensure officers comply with
2. Any directions the FSR made regarding how the NPCC should ensure officers compliance
3. All emails between the FSR (or FSR employees) and NPCC relating to the training required for officers regarding the recovering and processing of CCTV (redacted if necessary).

Your request has been handled as a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I am now able to provide a full reply to your request.

Regarding point 1, I can disclose the following information:

The primary legislation that governs regulation in Forensic Science including the recovering and processing of CCTV is:

• FSR Act 2021: Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

The Regulator has published a Code of Practice  (Statutory Code: Forensic science activities: statutory code of practice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) which sets out the requirements for forensic science activities. Guidance documents in support of regulation can be found at:

• Forensic Science Regulator guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Code applies to all those undertaking Forensic Science Activities (FSAs) as described in the Code. These can be small teams in larger organisations, sole practitioners or large providers, police officers or police staff and can be commissioned by the prosecution or the defence.

The recovery and preservation of still and moving images from digital closed-circuit television (CCTV), video surveillance systems (VSS) and related digital media/systems is defined in the Code as FSA DIG 300 – Recovery and processing of footage from closed-circuit television (CCTV)/video surveillance systems (VSS).

The requirements for compliance are described in the Code including the acting in accordance with the NPCC’s Framework for Video Based Evidence as an option. Forensic Science Regulator: Code of Practice (accessible) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Regarding point 2, I can disclose the following information:

The Regulator’s role is to produce the statutory Code of Practice and set quality standards, the “how” is the responsibility of the organisations who undertake forensic science activities that are subject to the Code.

I have not made any directions to the NPCC regarding how they should ensure officers compliance.

You may find the minutes from the NPCC CC council useful, where my attendance and any discussion around CCTV are recorded. These are published here: Chief Constables’ Council Minutes (npcc.police.uk)

Regarding point 3, I can disclose the following information:

I have undertaken a check of all email correspondence and I can confirm I have no communications with NPCC regarding the training required for officers in the recovery of CCTV footage.

As I mention above, it is not the Regulators responsibility/role to describe how organisations should meet quality standards.

I did present a segment at the NPCC CCTV conference which took place in April 2023 where I referenced the NPCC framework and the training in it set by the NPCC. I attach the slides presented at the conference.

Please feel free to ask any further questions if the above does not meet your requirements. The Office of the Forensic Science Regulator has a Digital Scientific lead who is happy to talk through the Code.

If you are dissatisfied with this response, you may request an independent internal review of our handling of your request by submitting a complaint within 40 working days of the initial response to foirequests@homeoffice.gov.uk, quoting reference FSR-FOI-0018. If you ask for an internal review, it would be helpful if you could say why you are dissatisfied with the response.

As part of any internal review the Department’s handling of your information request would be reassessed by staff who were not involved in providing you with this response. If you were to remain dissatisfied after an internal review, you would have a right of complaint to the Information Commissioner as established by section 50 of the FOIA.

A link to the Forensic Science Regulators Information Rights Privacy Notice can be found in the following link. This explains how we process your personal information: Personal information charter - Forensic Science Regulator - GOV.UK

Yours sincerely

Office of the Forensic Science Regulator