SEVERAL Lancashire police officers have been disciplined for using the constabulary computers to run searches on neighbours, family and local area.

In one allegation, which is currently being investigated by the Professional Standards Department, a PC in eastern division covering Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, misused the Sleuth system to run criminal checks on neighbours and schools near his home.

A Pennine PC covering Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale was given a written warning for conducting 53 Sleuth searches without an ‘obvious policing purpose’ last year.

In total, there have been 12 allegations of breaches of data protection against East Lancashire officers and a further nine against East Lancashire staff since 2008.

In total for the whole force, there have been 30 against officers and 54 against staff in the last three years.

Some have resigned or been dismissed, others given final or written warnings, management advice, counselling or coaching. Several investigations are still ‘live’.

Other investigations into breaches of data protection by Lancashire Police employees revealed under the Freedom of Information Act, include

• Nine police staff in Eastern or Pennine divisions accused of misuse of systems, email or Sleuth

• A PC in Eastern being investigated for alleged misconduct on suspicion of misusing force systems and disclosing this information to a third party.

• An Eastern PC given a written warning for using Sleuth to conduct numerous checks around his home address and neighbours.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Constabulary said: “Lancashire Constabulary expects the highest standards of professional behaviour from all employees in relation to information security.

“The misuse of police systems by any individual staff member will not be tolerated as it is recognised that this can have a negative impact on public confidence.”