ChargeBook

Information security

Data safety

ChargeBook is built so sensitive case material stays on the officer's own workstation. There is no login, no central database and no upload of draft summaries.

Everything runs in your browser

Offence search, points-to-prove matching, charging guidance and MG5 audits are calculated on the workstation itself. Nothing you type is sent to a server for processing.

No case data leaves the terminal

Victim names, witness details, dates of birth and CAD/URN references in your drafts are never uploaded, logged or stored on any external cloud.

Drafts saved locally, on purpose

Open jobs are auto-saved in this browser's local storage so a radio call, crash or refresh doesn't lose your work. They stay on this machine only.

Officers are isolated from each other

There is no shared database and no accounts. One officer can never see, leak or overwrite another officer's work - whether in the same station or another force.

Shared station computers

On individual Windows/Smartcard logins, drafts belong to your profile. On a generic or communal login, use “End shift · wipe all” before you leave the terminal.

Your force system stays the record

ChargeBook is a reference and checking aid. Copy finished summaries into Niche, Athena, Connect or your force RMS - that remains the official record under MOPI.

Booking off?

Clear every draft job ChargeBook has saved on this computer. Make sure anything you need is already in your force system.

Inactivity auto-wipe

If nobody touches the keyboard, mouse or screen, ChargeBook shows a 60-second warning and then wipes all drafts on this computer.

DPIA & architecture briefing

Summary for your force Information Asset Owner and IT security team.

1. System description

  • ChargeBook is a browser-based legal reference and case-file checking aid (offence search, points to prove, MG5 audit).
  • It is delivered as static files from a content delivery network. There is no application server, database, user account or login.

2. Personal data processed

  • Officers may type case material (names, dates of birth, addresses, CAD/URN references) into MG5 drafts.
  • This data is processed only in the browser memory of the workstation in use. Zero bytes of draft content are transmitted over the network.
  • ChargeBook collects no officer identity data: no names, emails, collar numbers or force details are registered or stored.

3. Storage boundary

  • Open drafts are held in the browser's local storage on that workstation only, partitioned per Windows/Smartcard user profile.
  • Drafts are removed by: closing a job, 'End shift · wipe all', the automatic inactivity wipe (default 15 minutes), or clearing browser data.
  • ChargeBook is not a system of record. Final material must be entered into the force RMS (Niche, Athena, Connect, etc.), which remains the record under MoPI.

4. Legal basis & compliance

  • Processing by officers is for a law enforcement purpose under Part 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018; the force remains controller.
  • No central retention means no ChargeBook-held dataset is subject to MoPI review, retention or disposal schedules.
  • No international transfer of case data occurs, as no case data leaves the terminal.

5. Risks & mitigations

  • Unattended terminal - inactivity warning at T-60s then automatic wipe; manual wipe button on every screen.
  • Shared/kiosk login - officers instructed to wipe on booking off; auto-wipe as backstop.
  • Public URL reachable - no case or officer data is exposed; for production, place behind force network/ZTNA or Entra ID single sign-on.
  • Compromised device/extension - mitigated by force-managed endpoints and browser extension policy.
  • Supply-chain tampering - static build with no third-party analytics; recommend Content Security Policy and pinned hosting.

6. Residual risk & recommendation

  • Residual risk: LOW, conditional on deployment behind force access controls and use on force-managed devices.
  • Reference data (CJS codes, wordings, case law) should be validated against PNLD / MoJ Standard Offence Table before operational reliance.

Good to know

Back to offence search