Assets confiscated from police employees 760/2025

FOI Reference: 760/2025

Request

I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act (2000), seeking data relating to items or assets that have been confiscated, seized, or otherwise removed from serving police officers, PCSOs, or police staff due to breaches of policy, criminal investigations, or misconduct proceedings.

Specifically, please provide the following information:

1. Statistics by year (for calendar years 2021, '22, '23, '24, and '25) on the number of items confiscated, broken down by category where recorded, e.g.:
   • Weapons (firearms, knives, batons, etc.)
   • Controlled drugs or substances
   • Cash (including unexplained/unauthorised sums)
   • Cryptocurrency (provide an estimated value)
   • Digital assets (e.g., laptops, mobile phones, storage devices)
   • Other contraband or prohibited property 

2. For each category, please provide (where recorded):
   • The total number of incidents per year.
   • The type of item(s) confiscated (broad description only).
   • Whether confiscation occurred as part of internal disciplinary investigations or criminal investigations.
3. Please confirm whether your force maintains a central record or database of such confiscations (e.g., through the Professional Standards Department or Property/Evidence Unit), and if so, what datasets are recorded (e.g., item type, value, reason for seizure, outcome).

Response Q1

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, as outlined below:-

2021 – 2 digital device

2022 – 9 digital devices

2023 – 4 digital devices

2024 – 17 digital devices, 1 weapon (force issued – confiscated)

2025 – 9 digital devices

Response Q2

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, as outlined below:-

Digital

2021 – 2

Mobile, USB

Criminal

2022 – 3

(mobile, computers, hardrives, USB)

Internal disciplinary and criminal

2023 – 3

(laptop, mobile)

Criminal and Internal disciplinary

2024 – 7

(mobile, laptop, playstation, Radio, PAVA)

6 x criminal 1 x internal disciplinary

2025 – 5

(mobile, laptop, Radio)

2 x criminal and 3 x internal disciplinary.

Response Q3

Historically a Property Register (paper book) was utilised to record item seized, seized from, linked incident number.

Since 2025 Professional Standards Department now record seizures on the Force property system.

It should be noted that as a result of the systems adopted by Dyfed-Powys Police in relation to the recording of such information that the information released may or may not be accurate.

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 26/08/2025)