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Other Applications 369

Table 9.5 Likely closure actions

Motivation of the Evidence supporting the allegation and worst case
informant
Accurate revealing Accurate
malpractice But not revealing Inaccurate
malpractice

Genuine Investigation Investigation Close the file

Malicious Action against the informant

Not identified Investigation

If the allegations are unfounded, the subject must be told and asked whether he wants the
report retained in his personnel file and it is usually in his interest to do so.

DESTROYED RECORDS considered for promotion to a senior
overseas position. A junior employee in
In 1995, allegations were made against human resources department submitted a
an employee, investigated and proved to note to the effect that: ‘Suspicions had been
be untrue. However, the human resources raised about this employee some years ago,
manager at the time18 destroyed the letters but there is nothing on file’. This spooked
and investigations report on the basis that the senior line manager who was making
they were ‘personal data’ that should not the appointment and another employee was
be retained any longer than was absolutely selected for promotion.
necessary.

In 2001, the employee was being

Cases such as this show that some of the data protection laws are counterproductive (see
page [xref]).

Elimination interviews

BACKGROUND AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM

There are occasions when a number of people could be responsible for a crime or some other
problem: for example, cash may have gone missing from a cash register to which four or five
people had access.

OBJECTIVES

There are three main issues involved in elimination interviews:

• identify the guilty party and clear people who are wrongly suspected;
• obtain admissions and other evidence;
• make financial recoveries.

18 He moved on in 2000