Danish National Police turned off safety net, and now hundreds of folders are missing

Rigspolitiet (the Danish National Police) has switched off a security feature in the database where police across the country store evidence.

The consequence is that hundreds of folders of images have disappeared, and the top police authority cannot say exactly how many.

An expert wonders about something more fundamental: that files in an evidence system can be deleted at all. That kind of data should normally be untouchable, precisely because it can be used in court cases.

For you, there is nothing to act on here and now: it is not a tool you use yourself. But the case is a good reminder of how important it is to demand backups and traceability when you choose systems to store important data, whether privately or in a business.

Watch for whether Rigspolitiet announces the scope. Only once that figure is known will it be clear how serious the case really is.