Privacy policy

Who I am

This website is run by Richard Grey, a freelance accredited police station representative trading as a sole trader. In this policy, “I”, “me” and “my” mean Richard Grey.

I am the data controller for the personal information described in this policy. You can contact me about this policy or your information at enquiries@richardgrey.co.uk or on 07984 947 026.

Who this website is for

This website is for firms of solicitors who want to instruct me to attend a police station on behalf of a client. I do not accept instructions directly from members of the public.

What information I collect

Information you send me. When you use the Instruct me form, or email or phone me, I collect:

your name, your firm’s name, your email address and your phone number; and
the details of the matter that you choose to give me.

The details of the matter may include information about your client, such as their name and the allegation. This can include information about alleged criminal offences, which is treated as sensitive. Please include only what is needed to arrange attendance. I can take further details when we speak.

Technical information. Like all websites, my hosting provider receives your IP address, browser type and the pages you request when you visit. This is recorded in server logs, which the host uses to keep the site running and secure. When you open the Instruct me page, your browser also loads the EmailJS software from the jsDelivr content delivery network, which receives the same kind of technical information.

Website usage information. If you accept analytics cookies, Google Analytics collects information about how you use this website, such as the pages you visit, how long you stay, the type of device and browser you use, and your approximate location (country or town). See cookies below.

How I use your information, and why

I only use personal information when the law allows me to. These are the reasons I rely on:

To respond to your enquiry and arrange attendance. This is in my legitimate interests, as a business responding to professional enquiries. Where you instruct me, it is also necessary to carry out my agreement with your firm.
To act on your client’s behalf. Where this involves information about alleged criminal offences or other sensitive information, I rely on the conditions in the Data Protection Act 2018 that allow it to be used for legal proceedings, to give legal advice, and to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.
To keep business records and to invoice. I do this to meet my legal obligations, for example under tax law.
To keep this website secure. This is in my legitimate interests.
To understand how the website is used. I rely on your consent, which you give through the cookie banner and can withdraw at any time.

I do not sell your information. I do not use it for marketing, and I do not make decisions about you by automated means.

I share information only where I need to:

EmailJS, which delivers the contents of the Instruct me form to my email inbox;
my email provider, which stores the emails you send me;
my website hosting provider, which hosts this website;
Google, which provides Google Analytics, only if you accept analytics cookies;
your firm, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts, as part of acting on an instruction;
my accountant and professional advisers, where they need it to do their work for me; and
regulators, law enforcement or others, where the law requires me to.

Some of these providers, including EmailJS and Google, may handle information outside the UK. Where they do, I expect them to protect it to a standard equivalent to UK law, using recognised safeguards for international transfers.

How long I keep it

I keep the details of an enquiry only for as long as I need them to deal with it. Where I am instructed, I keep my records for as long as the law and my professional obligations require. Server logs are kept by my hosting provider for a short period under its own settings. Google Analytics data is kept for 14 months, then deleted.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you;
ask me to correct information that is wrong or incomplete;
ask me to delete your information, in some circumstances;
ask me to limit how I use your information, in some circumstances;
object to me using your information where I rely on my legitimate interests; and
ask for your information in a format you can move to someone else, where it applies.

To use any of these rights, email enquiries@richardgrey.co.uk. I may need to check who you are first. Some rights are limited where the information is subject to legal professional privilege or a legal duty of confidence.

If you are unhappy with how I have handled your information, please tell me first so I can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.

Cookies and similar technologies

I use Google Analytics to understand how this website is used, such as which pages are visited and how people arrive at the site, so I can improve it. Google Analytics only runs if you accept it in the cookie banner. If you reject it, or ignore the banner, no analytics cookies are set and nothing is sent to Google.

If you accept, Google Analytics sets these cookies:

_ga: distinguishes one visitor from another. It lasts up to 2 years.
_ga_<ID>: keeps track of your current visit. It lasts up to 2 years.

I do not use advertising features, and I do not use Google Analytics to identify you personally. Google acts as my processor and may handle this information in the United States, using recognised safeguards for international transfers.

Your cookie choice. I store your choice (accept or reject) in your browser’s local storage under the name rg-cookie-consent, so the banner doesn’t keep reappearing. This is strictly necessary and is not used for anything else. I ask again after six months.

Changing your mind. You can change your choice at any time using the “Cookie settings” link at the bottom of every page. If you withdraw consent, analytics stops and the Google Analytics cookies are deleted.

This website does not use advertising or social media tracking, and the fonts are served from this website rather than a third party.

Keeping your information safe

I take reasonable steps to protect information, including using an encrypted (HTTPS) connection for this website and the Instruct me form. No method of sending information over the internet is completely secure. For anything urgent or sensitive, you can call me instead.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last changed.