The Police National Computer (PNC) is a database used by law enforcement organisations across the United Kingdom and other non-law enforcement agencies. Originally developed in the early 1970s, PNC1 went 'live' in 1974, providing UK police forces with online access to the lost/stolen vehicle database. The vehicle owners application quickly followed, giving the police online access to the names/addresses of every vehicle owner in the UK.
The Police National Computer started holding nominal information based on the computerisation of criminal records held by the Metropolitan Police and other police forces in the late 1970s. These CRO records could be accessed online in real-time by all UK police forces via the "Names" applications. The PNC now consists of several databases available 24 hours a day, giving access to information of national and local matters. As of 18 January 2021, Kit Malthouse said that there are 13 million person records, 58.5 million driver records, and 62.6 million vehicle records stored on the PNC. The PNC is currently directly managed by the Home Office. Between 2007 and 2012, it was maintained by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) which inherited the activities of the now disbanded Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO).
History
Since its inception in 1974, the PNC has undergone numerous changes that were gradually introduced. The most notable was the introduction of the Phoenix (Police and Home Office Enhanced Names Index) in 1995. This format has been retained to the present day.
The PNC is based on a Fujitsu BS2000/OSD SE700 mainframe with recent PNC applications held on UNIX servers. There are around 26,000 directly connected terminals and 25,000 terminals which are connected via local police force computer systems. The mainframe is connected to the end user by a multitude of ways, for high volume users (i.e. other police forces) via secure IP network, for low volume users a secure dial-up link provided by Cable & Wireless. Another connection method is via an X.25 packet-switched network; this method is being phased out. Databases for vehicles and driver licences are copied from the DVLA databases in the early morning (there is no service loss when an update is in progress). The mainframe server is located at the Hendon Data Centre with back-up servers located around the UK.
In 2005 the only back-up server was located next to Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal in Buncefield, which was the scene of a major civil emergency when it burned to the ground in December 2005. According to the Home Office the location had been assessed as low-risk notwithstanding that the site was from a disaster hazard and the site and its surroundings burned to the ground.
Users
Requests for access to PNC are decided upon by the PNC Information Access Panel (PIAP). The members of the panel are the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), the Association of Police Authorities, and the Home Office. Delegated or subcontracted users exist.
Organisations with full access:
All territorial police forces of Great Britain
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) British Transport Police (BTP) Civil Nuclear Constabulary Isle of Man Constabulary States of Jersey Police States of Guernsey Police Service National Identification Service (NIS) National Crime Agency (NCA) Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) HM Revenue & Customs The Security Service (MI5) Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) Defence Intelligence Staff Department for Work and Pensions National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC)
Other organisations have restricted access to names file only.
HM Court Service
Probation Service
The Criminal Records Bureau
The Royal Military Police
Royal Air Force Police
Royal Navy Police
Royal Marines Police
PIAP has defined the following organisations as non-police and has agreed that authorised users within these organisations can have Names file only access commensurate with their previously stated and agreed business needs.
Non-police organisations with access to PNC:
Databases
PNC contains several separate databases; these include: