Date of last revision: 5 April 2023

  1. Introduction
    1. The Crown in right of the State of New South Wales represented by NSW Police Force (ABN 43 408 613 180) (NSW Police Force, we, us or our) has a mission to work with the community to reduce violence, crime and fear.
    2. This Privacy Policy for the “Empower You” application (Privacy Policy) sets out important information relating to privacy with respect to your use of the “Empower You” application (App). The terms “you” and “your” refer to the person downloading, accessing or using the App.
    3. The purpose of the App is to provide domestic violence victims with:
      1. a directory of local services available to victims of domestic violence;
      2. the ability to record “diary entries” of domestic violence events or incidents (including photographs);
      3. the ability to share such “diary entries” via email with yourself or third parties (note that NSW Police Force will not receive these emails, unless the email is specifically sent to NSW Police Force);
      4. the ability to send pre-set text messages to nominated contacts (which could include the victim’s location, at their election); and
      5. general information on domestic violence incidents (including frequently asked questions regarding reporting domestic violence incidents).
    4. Importantly, the App is not monitored by the NSW Police Force. If you need the assistance of emergency services in life threatening or time critical situations, call 000. If you need the assistance of NSW Police Force in other circumstances, please attend or call your local police station.
  2. Voluntary nature of the App
    1. You do not need to provide any information about yourself (including your personal information, such as your name, date of birth and contact details) to register for and use the App.
    2. Inputting any information into the App is entirely voluntarily and there are therefore no consequences if you do not input any information into the App.
  3. What personal information is collected and how will this information be collected, used and shared?
    1. In using the App, you may voluntarily choose to enter information into the App, including the following types of personal information (referred to in this Privacy Policy as “User Entries”):
      1. any “diary entries” about domestic violence incidents or other information about yourself, which may include the time and date of such entries and documented evidence (such as photographs); and
      2. any messages you pre-set to send to contacts you choose to nominate in emergency situations.
    2. Any personal information you choose to voluntarily enter into the App (including any User Entries) is collected by the App and will be stored locally on your mobile device (and to the cloud if your device is backed-up to the cloud as part of the functionality of your device). This information is collected by the App for the purposes of providing you with the functionalities of the App.
    3. Certain features on your mobile device may need to be accessed by the App to provide certain functionalities of the App. This includes access to:
      1. the contacts, messaging and email applications, to facilitate you sending any User Entries to any nominated contacts;
      2. the camera and photo / gallery applications, to upload any photographs for “diary entries”; and
      3. location services, to access the location of local services in the directory of the App and share your location with nominated contacts (if you elect to do so when sending a pre-set text message).
    4. This will mean that the App will, solely for the purposes of providing you with access to functionalities of the App, collect:
      1. contact information about your nominated contacts you select in the App;
      2. any photographs you choose to take or upload to the App; and
      3. location data.
    5. None of this information will be collected or accessed by NSW Police Force in the ordinary course. In certain limited circumstances (for example, to investigate a crime), where permitted or required by law, NSW Police Force may collect or access information stored in your mobile phone (including on the App itself).
    6. You may choose to voluntarily share (via email) User Generated Content with yourself or third parties (including nominated contacts and any other third parties you elect) and send pre-set text messages to nominated contacts (and share your location with such nominated contacts if you wish to do so).
  4. How is your personal information stored and how can you access, correct and delete this information?
    1. You have the ability to set a passcode to unlock the App, to protect the information you input into the App (such as “diary entries” of domestic violence incidents). We recommend that you set such passcode.
    2. You can access, review and/or edit certain User Entries (such a “diary entries” or the pre-set text message) by viewing and amending this information in the relevant sections of the App. Please note that once you have sent any emails or text messages via the App, these emails or text messages cannot be accessed, viewed or edited.
    3. You can choose to delete any User Entries from the App or the App in its entirety at any time. If you choose to delete the App in its entirety, this means that all of your User Entries will be deleted from the App. You can stop collection of your information by the App by ceasing to input any information into the App (note that inputting any information into the App is entirely voluntarily).
    4. This Privacy Policy applies only to your use of the App and does not apply to any interaction or dealing you may have with us or any of our officers (including if you elect to share information with us or any of our officers via the App). Our use, possession and receipt of any information disclosed to us will be subject to the requirements of laws applicable to us, and not this Privacy Policy.
  5. Contact us
    1. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about privacy more generally within the NSW Police Force, please contact us using the relevant contact details below:

      Privacy Co-ordinator
      Office of the General Counsel
      NSW Police Force
      Locked Bag 5102
      PARRAMATTA NSW 2124