Privacy in the QPS

What is privacy?

The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is committed to protecting the personal information we collect, hold, use and disclose under the Information Privacy Act 2009 (IP Act). The IP Act protects all forms of personal information from being unfairly collected, lost, misused or inappropriately modified or disclosed. It also provides individuals with access and amendments rights to their own personal information.

The IP Act contains 11 Information Privacy Principles which detail how the QPS must collect, store, maintain, use and disclose personal information. It also contains rules about transferring personal information out of Australia and about bound contracted service providers.

The QPS is exempt from some of the privacy principles, when it is reasonably necessary, so that we can conduct law enforcement activities effectively. Read more about this from the Queensland Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC). 

What is personal information?

Personal information is any information that would allow an individual to be identified. It is defined in the IP Act as, "information or an opinion, including information or an opinion forming part of a database, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can reasonably be ascertained, from the information or opinion."

Examples of personal information include a person’s name, address, phone number, date of birth, gender, and physical characteristics including height, birthmarks and tattoos.  Personal information can be stored on a variety of media such as paper, electronic database, photographic and video image, audiotape, digital form, and may also extend to body samples and biometric data.

More privacy information

You can find more information about how we manage privacy below

Making a privacy complaint

If you believe we have handled your personal information in a way that is not consistent with the privacy principles, you can make a complaint. This will help us resolve your complaint and understand where we can improve our management of your personal information.

Please note your complaint may involve aspects of misconduct or breach of discipline. While we will look at privacy, we may also need to investigate these other aspects, which can result in disciplinary or criminal processes. The QPS takes your complaint seriously so please be patient with us while we investigate all aspects of it.

When making a privacy complaint, please include:

• Details of the information that is the subject of the complaint,
• Why you feel it is a privacy breach and;
• Which of the Information Privacy Principles you consider has been breached. 

Please also provide any available supporting material to support the complaint to help in a timely review of your complaint. 

If you wish to make a complaint please complete the online form on the Compliments and Complaints page.

Learn more about your privacy rights

The OIC provides information and resources about your privacy rights and how Queensland Government agencies and ministers are required to handle your personal information. Every year the OIC conducts Privacy Awareness Week to raise awareness and understanding of privacy responsibilities and rights with members of the community and public servants.

Contact us about privacy

You can contact a QPS privacy officer to discuss privacy matters.