Do police have access to passport/driving licence photos?

[CraigNewmarket]

If you are a wanted man/woman do police have access to your passport/driving licence photo to use for appeals to the public?

[Petrus1983]

I'd imagine so. They're government issued documents.

[SteveScooby]

Driver’s Licence photos can be accessed fairly easily, but the data belongs to the DVLA. Its intended use is to verify identity at the roadside, so to use it in a wanted appeal would require authorisation.

Not sure about passports, i’m sure there’s a way police could access them, but it’s not done as a matter of routine, would need to be for something significantly serious.

[Petrus1983]

Just hand yourself in - or your friend - they'll always find you in the end and the pain will be worse. Hope it works out well.

[CraigNewmarket]

Petrus1983 said:

Just hand yourself in - or your friend - they'll always find you in the end and the pain will be worse. Hope it works out well.

Just hard to tell between a mug shot v passport pic on appeals I'm not wanted 🤣

[over_the_hill]

I believe the Police do have routine access to DL pics.

A friend of mine used to have a V6 Golf and worked some weird shifts. Consequently he was often heading home
at 2/3/4 in the morning.

He told me he was once stopped but as soon as the Police saw him the conversation went something like

"Sorry to have stoped you but this type of vehicle is often stolen, but we can see it is yours. Thanks and have a good day"
So I'm guessing they saw his DL and his mug matched the photo.

[Nibbles_bits]

Yes, the police have access to your DL picture.

Depending on what the appeal is for, depends on what photo is used -

A missing person = the photo will be provided by a family member.

Crime = the photo will come from the CCTV or a Custody photo.

It's unlikely that the police would have access or use your passport/DL photo for use in a wanted appeal.
Other Government agencies might though.

[Sebring440]

Nibbles_bits said:

Yes, the police have access to your DL picture.

Nibbles_bits said:

It's unlikely that the police would have access or use your passport/DL photo.

Which is it?

[LosingGrip]

Sebring440 said:

Which is it?

They have access to it, but its unlikely they'll use jt.

[48k]

SteveScooby said:

Driver’s Licence photos can be accessed fairly easily, but the data belongs to the DVLA. Its intended use is to verify identity at the roadside, so to use it in a wanted appeal would require authorisation.

Not sure about passports, i’m sure there’s a way police could access them, but it’s not done as a matter of routine, would need to be for something significantly serious.

And its possible for them to be the same photo - having recently moved house my new driving licence used my passport photo.

[Pica-Pica]

Sebring440 said:

Nibbles_bits said:

Yes, the police have access to your DL picture.

Nibbles_bits said:

It's unlikely that the police would have access or use your passport/DL photo.

Which is it?

DL photos are drawn from your passport photo via the passport office if the likeness is still acceptable.

[Sebring440]

LosingGrip said:

Sebring440 said:

Which is it?

They have access to it, but its unlikely they'll use jt.

But Nibbly-Bits says: "Yes, the police have access to your DL picture", then he says: "It's unlikely that the police would have access."

So, which is it?

[Nibbles_bits]

Sebring440 said:

LosingGrip said:

Sebring440 said:

Which is it?

They have access to it, but its unlikely they'll use jt.

But Nibbly-Bits says: "Yes, the police have access to your DL picture", then he says: "It's unlikely that the police would have access."

So, which is it?

You've missed a bit off of my qoute - "for use in a wanted appeal.".

When I do a DL check, I can see your DL photo = the police have access.

Could I have access to your Passport photo?
If it's the same as yout DL photo....yes.
If it's not, it's possible that the Passport Office might share it with the Police (for certain reasons).

A police wanted appeal is very unlikely to use a DL or Passport photo. The photo used would be more likely be one that's already held on police systems.

If it's related to terrorism, it's more likely that another government agency would provide the police with a photo.......from some source.

So, yes the police have access to your DL photo (and by extension your PP photo), but they are unlikely to use it in a wanted appeal.

Edited by Nibbles_bits on Wednesday 21st May 16:40

[Squadrone Rosso]

Yes

[Dibble]

Police have access to DL photos. The photo is owned by the DVLA, as is the DL data and both can only be used (save for some very limited circumstances) for driving matters.

Police have access to the Passport database, including photos. The data is owned by HMPO and can only be used for policing in some very limited circumstances.

There are a number of other databases, such as PND, which may also contain photos.

None of the above can be used for a wanted or missing appeal. Wanted would usually be a custody/CCTV photo, missing could be family photo/CCTV/custody picture (if you see a photo on a grey background, that’s a custody image).

“Police have access” doesn’t mean every officer/member of police staff. It’s role dependant. “Police have access” means the police as an organisation.