Police record rules amended to allow case file destruction in 1 year
Additionally, while there are fixed timeframes for document retention, such records are to be preserved permanently in digital format.
The Police Record Rules have been amended to allow documents related to criminal investigations to be destroyed within one year if the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) decides that a case cannot be prosecuted or if there is insufficient evidence to proceed.
The amendment was made to the Code of Conduct for the Maintenance and Issuance of Police Records, which outlines how case-related documents are stored and managed.
Under the existing provisions, the retention periods for police case documents were as follows:
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Criminal offences and misdemeanour cases – 8 years
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Misdemeanour cases – 3 years
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Cases referred for prosecution – until court proceedings or appeals are concluded
Additionally, while there are fixed timeframes for document retention, such records are to be preserved permanently in digital format. Certain categories of cases — including murder, serious conspiracy, terrorism, and national security — are to be maintained indefinitely for historical purposes.
The new amendment, issued on Tuesday, introduces two new clauses under Article 21(b) of the rules. These provisions allow the destruction of case documents within one year under specific conditions:
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Clause (c): If the Prosecutor General determines that a criminal case cannot be prosecuted, the head of the administrative division responsible for police records may authorise the destruction of related documents within one year of the decision.
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Clause (d): If an investigated criminal case is not classified as a serious offence and has not led to prosecution within one year of being filed, the administrative department responsible for record maintenance may authorise the destruction of the documents.
The amendment further states that if prosecutors decide there is insufficient evidence to pursue a case, the investigator and their supervisor must submit a written statement confirming that such evidence is unlikely to become available in the future before the documents can be destroyed.
