The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) will not take any enforcement action against Lancashire Police for disclosing Nicola Bulley’s personal information, the force stated. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced in a Tuesday, May 9 update that its investigation into an officer’s contact with Ms. Bulley prior to her disappearance revealed two learning opportunities.
The body of a 45-year-old woman was discovered in the River Wyre in Lancashire on February 19, more than three weeks after she was last seen on January 27. The police were significantly criticised for the manner in which they conducted the investigation. Prior to her disappearance, Ms. Bulley, who grew up in South Woodham Ferrers before her family relocated to the north, was seen walking her dog.
MPs and campaign groups disapproved of the police’s decision to make public aspects of her private life, such as her struggles with alcoholism and perimenopause, while conducting the inquiry. The police, however, stated that the ICO had concluded its investigation and informed them that no enforcement action would be taken.
Andrew Snowden, the county’s conservative police and crime commissioner, reported that the College of Policing was conducting an independent review of the force’s handling of the case, with findings and recommendations to be published in the autumn.
Mr. Snowden stated that the evaluation will concentrate on three areas: operational response to the investigation of high-risk missing persons, press engagement, and the decision-making process surrounding the disclosure of sensitive personal information. The IOPC stated that its investigation was focused on “the actions and decisions of the police officer who attended Ms. Bulley’s residence as part of a multi-agency team.”
IOPC regional director Catherine Bates said: “Our investigation has identified important learning for the force in relation to the policing role in multi-agency vehicles, which aims to assist the force in their response to similar calls in the future. Our thoughts remain with Ms Bulley’s family and friends, and all those affected by her death.”
In addition, the investigation revealed “two areas of learning” for the officer regarding when to activate their body-worn camera and when to record information on police systems.