Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of

Sociology, Federal University Dutse

Introduction
Law enforcement or security officers are at the forefront of dealing with crimes. As one
part of their work, they are required to write reports, such as crime reports, traffic and
accident reports, disaster report, or reports on sudden and unnatural deaths. These
reports can be disseminated verbally or in writing. When the reports are sent in writing,
they are documented for reference purposes. More specifically, crime and security
reports are used as information to aid investigation, legal documents for law
enforcement and outside agencies such as insurance companies. In extreme cases,
reports from law enforcement or security agencies could make its way to the Supreme
Court. Most importantly, crime and security reports can be used to guide effective
policies in security agencies. Given the need and significance of crime and security
report, it should be detailed and contain accurate information about an incident or
crime (e.g., factual, accurate, clear, concise, complete, timely (Sacramento State
Police Department, 2014, p. 3).
Report writing is a much-needed skill that can make or break a successful career in
law enforcement and security sector in general. Most law enforcement officers will
spend as much or more time in their career writing reports than at any other single
task. It is important to ensure all officers receive guidance and training with report
writing, beyond what they are taught during basic course in their respective colleges.
As a security officer, learning to create accurate security reports may improve your
qualifications and help you perform your day-to-day tasks. After learning about
different types of reports, you may also educate your subordinates and set clear
documentation standards. The topic of report writing, however, is of little interest and
is not the most exciting subject to read about or bring up in a discussion among law
enforcement officers.
Likewise, Bagley (2013) states the last thing on the minds of the average new law
enforcement agents is how they will document what they did in the field. Yet their report
is, by far, the most important part of the job. Until events are recorded, written down
for others to read, understand, and comprehend technically nothing has transpired.
Events only become events when they are recorded for posterity, and recording for
posterity makes everything a law enforcement officer does have historical implications.
Hence, it is imperative that recork keeping is taken seriously in security agencies,
especially by leveraging on digitalization in management of records.
In the light of the above, this course (CSS 210; Reports writing and record keeping in
security agencies) introduces students to the rudiments and practices of report writing
and records keeping in security agencies. Students are expected, at the end of the
semester, to understand the attributes and principles of effective report writing and
record keeping; types, focus, and protocols, characteristics, styles and dissemination
of reports; types of records and record keeping systems; report analysis and security
information management system (SIMS). It is also hoped that the students would be
exposed to the challenges and solutions of report writing and record keeping in
Nigerian security agencies.

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Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of
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Conceptualizing Report and Record Keeping

What is a security report?
Basically, a report means an account given of a particular matter, especially in the form
of an official document, after thorough investigation or consideration by an appointed
person or body. A report could also be a spoken or written description of an event or
situation, especially one intended for publication or broadcasting in the media. Report
is a document that a security officer writes. It includes many details about events
occurring within his or her shift. These reports contain investigation, interviews and
observations — and they are crucial to ensuring safety and future planning.
Types of Security Report
Here are four different types of reports that are commonly written in any security
organization:
Situation Report (SITREP)
This kind of report descrbies general situation or condition of a work environment.
Students should bear in mind that each team of security personnel or security unit,
department and organization have an area of jurisdiction (meaning area assigned for
them/it to take care of). Therefore, the situation report should reflect their areas of
coverage. The SITREP usually covers a period longer than one shift. It could be an
overview of a week, month, or quarter. It contains highlights and assessments of
potential areas of vulnerability. SITREP also deals with condition of security equipment
and grounds that the team or organization protects. It offers information about things
that need updates, repairs or replacement. For instance, operational vehicles,
generators, computer gadgets and other tools.
Incident Report
An incident report details a specific incident that occurs within an officer’s shift. The
officer is responsible for noting and reporting the incident to his supervisor. This would
include things like attack, fire outbreak, theft, fight, accident, unrest, violence or
protest, crime, disaster, and so on.
Investigation Report
Investigation officers are tasked with responsibilities of searching, finding, collecting,
and analysing evidence and link it to a suspect or suspects. Criminal investigation also
involves, interviews, interrogation and observations of crime scene. The whole idea is
to reconstruct the crime and identify perpetrators. After carrying out those activities,
the officers are expected to write report at various levels. At earliest stage, they write
and submit preliminary investigator report, while after gathering facts and evidence,
they follow it up with discrete or comprehensive investigation report. The report usually
answers critical questions, actions taken, and recommendations.

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Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of
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Intelligence Report (INTREP)

Intelligence reporting is the last stage of intelligence cycle, which comes after planning,
collection, collation, evaluation, and analysis of information. At the end of analysis of
information, the officer needs to disseminate the intelligence product to policy makers
or certain law enforcement agency for necessary action. Hence, the need for
intelligence report. Intelligence report is written on crime, insecurity, disaster, and
accident, among other issues of concern to security agencies. However, the difference
between other forms of report and intelligence report is that the latter deals essentially
with events or incidents that are yet to occur. In other words, INTREP is usually
predictions and pre-emption of future events to enable authorities’ concern take
proactive and preventive measures.
Table 1: Some Security Agencies in Nigeria

Sector Agency Main Functions

Nigeria Police Force (NPF) They have mandates to

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence investigate criminal activities,
Internal Corps (NSCDC) prosecute offenders and
Security National Drug Law Enforcement rehabilitate them if found
Agency (NDLEA) guilty as alleged.
Nigeria Correctional Service (NcoS)
Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
Federal Fire Service (FFS)
Intelligence State Security Service (SSS) These are agencies
Community Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) responsible for intelligence
National Intelligence Agency (NIA) gathering and analysis at
Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit national and international
(NFIU) fronts.

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Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of
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Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) These agencies are

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) responsible for securing
Border National Agency for the Prohibition of Nigerian borders, i.e. land,
Security Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) sea and air, against cross-
Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria border crimes, including arms
(FAAN) trafficking, drugs trafficking,
Nigerian Airspace Management human trafficking, money
Agency (NAMA) laundering, and smuggling of
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority contraband goods.
(NCAA)
Economic and Financial Crimes These are charged with the
Anti- Commission (EFCC) responsibility of tackling
Corruption Independent Corrupt Practices and embezzlement and breech of
other related offences Commission code of conduct among
(ICPC) public officials and other
Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) financial crimes.
Nigerian Army (NA) These are responsible for
Military Nigerian Navy (NN) defending the country against
Nigeria Air Force (NAF) external invasion through the
land, water and air.
Food National Agency for Food and Drug The main functions of these
Administration and Control (NAFDAC) agencies is to control
Security
Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service production and sales and
(NAQS) importation of adulterated
foods into Nigeria.

Stages of Writing Security Reports

As a security or law enforcement officer, learning to create accurate security reports
may improve your qualifications and help you perform your day-to-day tasks. Here is
how to write the report:
1. Availability of reporting tools
If you are responsible for implementing a reporting process within a security team, you
need some tools. The tools that security guards may use to document incidents or
summarise their shifts include a pocket notepad and a security logbook, which may be

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Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of
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kept in the office. It is also possible that the officer is provided with digital devices and
software that automatically submits complete reports to his supervisor or head of
department.
2. Notes-taking
While a security or law enforcement officer is completing each shift, he should make
sure to take notes. He is expected to describe anything unusual that happens or simply
tick off safety spots that he checks every few hours. Taking notes is helpful, as it allows
the officer to remember more details and provide his supervisor of head of department
with more detailed information about suspicious events or people he encountered.
3. Creating a report header
The officer may create a report after each notable event or at the end of his shifts. He
needs to start writing his report by creating a header. A report header includes writing
the report's date, time and location, and full name and job title of the reporter (officer).
4. Introducing the event or incident
The officer should use the first paragraph to introduce the event or incident. This part
of the report is also known as the summary, as it provides readers with a general
overview of the shift and prepare them for the additional details he may mention in
later sections. In the summary, you may also mention which security protocols you
used to address a threat or help someone who injured themselves during your shift.
5. Providing more details
After introducing the event or incident, the officer needs to proceed by developing a
new paragraph and provide as many details about the incident or accident as possible.
Whenever he chooses to elaborate on the summary, there are a few techniques he
may use to guide his narrative. For example, the use of five “Ws” technique would
allow him to answer the key questions of Who, What, When, Where, and Why. The
five Ws are effective because they help the officer create more comprehensive,
accurate and clearer reports describing his actions.
6. Using templates and forms
If the security agency the officer is reporting for has specific forms it requires him to fill
in as a part of the report, he should include them at the end. He may also submit the
forms as an attachment if he sends his report via email. Forms help organisations
standardise processes and documentation. Many agencies and organizations use
them to make strategic decisions.
7. Proofreading and editing
Last is proofreading and editing of report. Ensuring the document includes no errors
or typos helps the officer improves readability of the reports. It also makes it easier to
understand for the consumers of the report.

Reasons for Writing a Report

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Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of
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There are four generally accepted reasons for a police officer to write a report: for
historical records, as a management tool, as an aid for testifying in court and as a
guard against civil or related actions that may be brought against the officer or the
agency.
Historical records are critical to the department, the public and elected officials.
Among other things, these records provide the ability to see how well an agency is
doing compared to previous years or to other jurisdictions.
From a managerial perspective, police reports are also important to the local budget
process. The information that they provide, for example, can mean the difference
between hiring a construction worker or a police officer. Law enforcement
professionals recognized the need for good records as long ago as 1829, when Sir
Robert Peel persuaded the British Parliament to pass the Metropolitan Police Bill. Peel
included two records-related tenets in his proposed reform of police services. He
wrote: “The absence of crime will but prove the efficiency of police” and that “the
deployment of police strength by both time and area is essential.” Determining the
level of crime and responding with the proper deployment of personnel is at least as
important today as in the early 1800s.
The third basic reason for writing a report focuses on the narrative portion of
the police report. The objective of police reports, according to the International City
Management Association publication Local Government Police Management, is, “...to
develop a system that yields the most complete and accurate information for police
use.” When written properly, the officer has the best possible tool for helping him
recollect necessary details to present the case successfully in court. As a tool for use
in the prosecution of criminal cases, officers must not report conclusions or opinions
as if they were facts. A law enforcement officer’s ability to document the facts and
activities of an incident directly reflects of the professionalism of the officer and the
department, and also affects the ability of the justice system to successfully prosecute
a criminal case.
The fourth purpose for the police report, simply stated, is to protect the officer and
the agency from false accusations. Frequently, officers fail to write about their behavior
during an incident because the action may be controversial or involve the use of force.
Many officers have been led to believe that providing detailed descriptions of and
reasons for their actions could raise uncomfortable questions. In fact, the opposite is
true. A detailed, factual statement explaining an officer’s actions is usually the best
way to avoid charges of improper or illegal conduct.

Attributes of a good Security Report: The Five “Cs”

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The five “Cs” of good police reports are: complete, clear, concise, concrete and
correct. To successfully meet these five requirements, officers must use commonly
accepted English that does not contain police jargon or technical terms unless
necessary.
Complete
To make a complete report, an officer must understand the elements of a particular
crime and be able to answer the six basic questions that police hear about so often. It
is much easier to tell someone to answer the Who, What, Where, When, Why and
How questions than it is to do it. There are literally dozens of questions relating to
these six basic ones. These may include but are not limited to the following examples:

Question Supporting Facts/Information

What  was the crime that was committed?
 are the elements of the crime?
 were the actions of the suspect before and after the
crime?
 actually happened?
 do the witnesses know about it?
 evidence was obtained?
 was done with the evidence?
 weapons were used?
 action did the officers take?
 further action should be taken?
 knowledge, skill or strength was needed to commit the
crime?
 other agencies were notified?
 other agencies need to be notified?
When  was the crime committed?
 was the crime discovered?
 were the involved parties notified?
 did the involved parties arrive at the scene?
 was the victim last seen?
 was the suspect last seen?
 did officers arrive?
 was any arrest made?
 did witnesses hear anything unusual?
 did the suspect decide to commit the crime?
Where  was the crime committed?
 was the crime discovered?
 was entry made?
 was the exit?

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 was the weapon obtained that was used to commit the

crime?
 was the victim found?
 was the suspect seen during the crime?
 was the suspect last seen?
 were the witnesses during the crime?
 did the suspect live?
 does the suspect currently live?
 is the suspect now?
 would the suspect likely go?
 was the evidence found?
 was the evidence stored?
Who  are the involved parties in the incident? (i.e.,
victim(s),witness(es),
 suspect(s))
 were the participating officers?
 was the complainant?
 discovered the crime?
 saw or heard anything of importance?
 had a motive for committing the crime?
 committed the crime?
 had the means to commit the crime?
 had access to the crime scene?
 searched for, identified and gathered evidence?
Also with whom…
 did the victim associate?
 did the suspect associate?
 was the victim last seen?
 do the witnesses associate?
 did the suspect commit the crime?
How  was the crime committed? (e.g., force, violence,
threats, etc.)
 did the suspect leave the scene? (e.g., on foot, by car,
etc.)
 did the suspect obtain the information necessary to
commit the
 crime?
 was the crime discovered?
 was entry made? (e.g., smashing, breaking, key, etc.)
 was the weapon/tool for the crime obtained?
 was the weapon/tool used?
 was the arrest made?

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 much damage was done?

Why (if known)  was the crime committed?
 was a certain weapon/tool used?
 was the crime reported?
 was the crime reported late?
 were witnesses reluctant to give information?
 is the suspect lying?
 did the suspect commit the crime when she/he did?
 did the suspect commit the crime where she/he did?

Of course, these questions are not all-inclusive nor does each pertain to every event
or incident. However, officers must take the time to ask such key questions as these,
then try to answer them as they relate to the case at hand.
Clear
A police report may be complete but still lack clarity. Collecting the information needed
for a good report is vital, but organizing and focusing the information is equally
important. A police report contains an abundance of facts that must be coordinated
and focused to relay useable information. However, in doing so, there is little room for
an officer’s opinions and conclusions. Readers must be able to draw sufficient
understanding from the facts to formulate their own conclusions. Ideally, everyone who
reads the same report will be guided to the same general conclusions.
There are four basic strategies to accomplish this goal. First, the officer should use
direct and explicit language. Second, the officer should try to avoid police jargon
whenever possible. Use short words and short sentences to express yourself. Also,
the active voice is more expressive than the passive voice. The third element of clarity
involves organizing thoughts before writing.
Concise
Conciseness and clarity are directly related. A police report should only be as long as
necessary to provide requisite information. Conciseness - brevity of expression -
aids emphasis no matter what the sentence structure. Unnecessary words detract
from necessary words. They clutter sentences and obscure ideas.” The language in
the report should be simple and direct. The efficiency of any report is found partly in
the economy of words. Get the message across in the shortest and easiest way
possible. Simplicity is the key. To be concise, separate each idea into its own sentence.
Do not try to combine several thoughts into one long sentence. Length confuses the
reader. Reading tests have demonstrated that shorter sentences are easier to read.
One of the best ways to eliminate long sentences is to replace connective words such
as “and” and “but” with a period.
Concrete
The language used in the police report must be specific. Officers must stick to the facts
while including sufficient detail. Ambiguous worded sentences may result in different
readers reaching different conclusions. Sometimes the officer has no choice but to be

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vague in the report, but specific information should be used when it is available. For
example, “approximately 50 to 60 people were present when I arrived on the scene.”
Correct
An officer can satisfy all other requirements of a good report, but if it is incorrect, it is
of little or no value. The best way to prevent incorrect reports is to proofread. Make
sure each sentence makes complete sense. Does the verb matches the noun or
pronoun? If the noun is singular, the verb also must be singular. Is the sentence
complete? Is the idea communicated clearly? Are sentences too long and confusing?
Would dividing the sentence into two or more sentences make the thought flow faster
and better? Look for transposed letters and numbers. Corrections must be made
before the report is submitted.
Double-check all days, dates and times mentioned in the report. Carefully proofreading
your report should identify these and related types of common errors. If errors are
missed even after proofing, reading the report backward may help. In this way, reading
is slower, and errors may be identified more easily. The report reflects an officer’s level
of education, degree of competence and professionalism. As such, the credibility of
the officer is in many ways linked to how well his report is written.

Another potential problem area involves spelling. When spelling the names of victims,
witnesses and suspects, officers often automatically use the spelling that is familiar to
them. Tinubu could be spelled T-u-n-u-b-u-, and the name one thinks is Johnson may
be Johnston. When in doubt, an officer should always ask for the correct spelling. Most
of us like to be called by our correct name and resent it when it is misspelled. Officers
should remember that misspelling records of names and addresses may result in
misdirected subpoenas and missed court dates.
Fundamental Report Contents
The following general content elements are fundamental to an effective report,
however, it should be noted that in some crimes or incidents, a specific element may
not be applicable.
1. Initial information. This should establish how the officer became involved with the
specific incident and additional background information. The initial information should
also describe the officer’s immediate observations and any actions they took upon
arrival at the scene.
2. Identification of the crime or incident. Always include the facts that are necessary
to show that the specific crime or incident has taken place. The report should include
the common name of the crime, the statutory reference number and the required
elements necessary for the crime to be complete.
3. Identification of the involved parties. Regardless of the type of report, the report
should always identify the reporting persons, victims, witnesses and suspects, if
known. Always include full names, address, home, work and cellular telephone
numbers. Include alternate contact information, such as work or school addresses,
email addresses, and their role in the incident.

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4. Victim/witness/suspect statements. Summary statements of all involved parties

should be taken and direct quotes used, where necessary. Statements should always
include the details of the events, from their own perspective.
5. Crime scene specifics/description. Crime scene specifics are necessary to
accurately recreate the scene and events of the crime. Include photographs, where
possible, and include the locations of physical evidence prior to collection.
Photographs should be printed for inclusion with the report, and booked as property
as evidence, where applicable.
6. Property information. Property information should include the color, make, model,
serial number, approximate value, and full descriptions where possible. Details
pertaining to stolen or recovered property, as well as property booked for safekeeping,
and property booked as evidence should always be included in the report, and entered
into CLETS, were applicable.
7. Officer actions/observations. Include descriptions and observations of all actions
related to the incident. If multiple officers responded to a crime or incident, each officer
involved should include a supplement that details their own actions at the incident or
crime, and the supplement should be submitted for inclusion with the master report.
All reports, whether a master report or supplemental report, should be written from the
perspective of the writing officer, and detail their own personal actions or observations
Stages of Report Writing (The 40-40-20 Rule)
The 40-40-20 Rule was advanced by International Association of Chiefs of Police in
1993. It views the report writing process in three stages.
The first stage is writing detailed notes into a prepared format. This is done by
combining words, phrases and a few complete sentences. Placing comments into
an existing format will reduce the time needed to organize thoughts into an effective
report. It may be useful to separate each idea with a bullet, asterisk or other
recognizable symbol. This style can even be retained in the final report if it makes
the report more readable, complete and concise. After taking notes, write the first draft
using the basic pre-structured format. Be sure to double-space between lines in
the first draft to provide room for revisions. This entire process should take about 40
percent of the total time needed to complete a good report.
The second phase is critical for completing the report. About 40 percent of time needed
to write a report is devoted to proofreading, evaluating and editing the report. Before
writing the final version of the report, the writer should take a few minutes to read the
edited version aloud. Ears may pick up what the eyes have missed. If it does not sound
clear and complete, there is still some work to do before moving to the last phase of
writing.
The last phase involves rewriting the edited, correct, tightly written report. To improve
neatness on the hand-written report, officers should take a little extra time to form the
letters and space the words.

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In all, it generally takes about 40 percent of an officer’s time to prepare a good first
draft, 40 percent to evaluate and edit the draft and 20 percent to write a professional-
looking final report.
Report Writing in the era of technology
With modern technology advancing so fast, why do you need report writing? Machines
such as computer system, Grammarly, and AI are a means used to complete reports.
They cannot write or organize your work. They can help fill in forms fast, compare
fingerprints and identifications, and speed information for law enforcement, security,
corrections, and probation and parole personnel. However, they do not organize or
think; they just do as they are told. They can speed misinformation as well. The spell-
checking function on a computer or word processor will accept any word that is spelled
correctly, e.g., seen for scene, bale for bail, miner for minor; anything goes, including
your credibility.
Being computer literate is almost a given today, but the computer does not organize
material, use correct grammar, or select the specific words to write an accurate and
complete narrative. Your writing is important both to yourself and to the public, whether
you are in law enforcement, probation or parole, corrections, security, or some other
agency. The sooner you take a businesslike view of writing and develop a skilled
approach, the faster you will progress in your writing—in both your own estimation and
that of others. You are also less likely to wind up in court (usually long after the report
is written) with insufficient material to aid the cause of justice. Knowing why you write
will positively influence how well you write.
Record and Record-keeping
Records in security agencies can be found in different forms and formats such as
paper documents (correspondences, reports, and books), electronic databases, audio
and video recordings, images and photographs, emails and instant messaging logs.
Security records can be stored on paper, on optical or digital storage media, or, on an
organization’s internet pages. Furthermore, security organizations may receive these
records through regular mail or electronic mail, facsimile machines (fax), special
couriers, or by accessing computer networks including the internet and computer
intranets.
Other forms of records are oral records that capture the human voice and are stored
on cassettes and other magnetic media. With the popularity of forensic science
(criminalistics), investigation agencies could record fingerprints, digital prints, and
other digital evidence electronically.

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Typologies/Classifications of Records found in Security Agencies

Investigative records:
 investigation or incidents reports
 case files
 Suspect’s, complainant’s or witness’ statements
 Profiles of suspects
 Forensic examination/analysis reports
 Evidence or exhibit register
 Crime diary. Etc.
Intelligence Records:
 Threat assessment report
 Intelligence briefs or reports
 Reports on terrorists hideouts and their financiers
 CCTV footage
 Audio or video recordings
 Phone records
 GIS data
Personnel Records:
 Nominal roll
 Personnel files (open & confidential)
 Personnel training records
 Performance evaluations reports
 Background checks reports
 Leave records
 Health records
 Disciplinary records
Operational Records:
 Arms and ammunition register
 Vehicle records
 Training schedules and manuals
 equipment and accoutrements records
 communication records/logs
 duty shift reports
 handing and taking over register
 maintenance register

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Policies and Regulatory Documents

Correspondences from other agencies and NGOs
Other records
 budget and financial records
 procurement records
All the above-mentioned security records can be categorized as either open
files/records or confidential files/records.
Records Keeping in Security Agencies
Record keeping, therefore, entails storage and safe custody of records. The records
can be stored on file cabinets, film, CDs, DVDs, videotapes, photographs, and
microfilm, websites, and cloud computing. In many Nigerian security agencies,
records-keeping is done manually or in hard copy using file jackets and a cabinet. This
is attributed to a lack of digitalization as it is the case in developed worlds. Computers
and related technologies have replaced the use of files for record keeping. They run
paperless police stations.
Security organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the potential value
contained within the internal records they hold. This could be the lessons they contain
from past experiences, allowing them to learn both from their successes and their
failures. As the evidence left behind from the activities organizations undertake,
records are also an organization's best ally in terms of protecting its rights and
interests.
Effective records management ensures that the security organization can call upon a
body of reliable evidence if required to justify its actions or defend its position. For
instance, records or evidence about on crime can be used by law enforcement
organizations to successfully prosecute offenders and exonerate people wrongly
accused. This may prove a critical strength as we move into an increasingly litigious
society.
Measures used To Protect Security Records
Access to Records: The level of security required for a record will vary, depending
on the content of the record. Some records may have a very low level of sensitivity,
requiring very little or no security. Others will have a high level of sensitivity, needing
high security.
The accessibility of a record should depend on its level of sensitivity. When you have
decided how sensitive a record is, you will need to think about who needs to have, and
who should have, access to that record.
Transferring Records: If data / information needs to be sent to a third party or other
location, either within or outside the security organization, then all necessary security
precautions should be taken to protect it in transit. This will include sending in the most
appropriate format, or packaging appropriately, and addressing correctly.

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Lecture Notes (CSS 210; Report and Record Keeping in Security Agencies Prepared by Ukasha Ismail, Department of
Sociology, Federal University Dutse

Authenticity of Records: This will apply to both hard copy and electronic records.
There are some specific difficulties with maintaining the integrity of electronic records,
for instance records kept on email, or data contained in a database, both of which can
be changed easily. Measures to be taken should include: Controlling access to the
record or data, knowing who has responsibility for and access to the record or data,
preventing accidental or malicious change as far as possible, checking the accuracy
of the information or data recorded, at regular intervals.
Preservation of Records: Organizations should consider which format or medium to
keep records in and choose that which is most likely to be the most secure. And to
guard against loss they may need to back up their documents, particularly if they are
vital or business critical in some way.
Location of Records: Records should be stored safely and securely, both
electronically and physically. Sensitive documents should not be left on the desk or
computer screen when unattended. Organizations should consider the best method of
disposal of the records, at the end of their lifetime.

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