Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains how personal information is handled when you use our website, request a quotation, submit artwork, place an order or contact our team.
Who is responsible for your data?
Custom Police Patches is the trading name used on this website. The data controller is Custom Police Patches, of 151 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WD. For privacy questions, email [email protected].
What information do we collect?
Depending on how you contact or order from us, we may collect your name, organisation, role, email address, telephone number, billing and delivery addresses, enquiry messages, order and payment records, and correspondence.
For police insignia enquiries, we may also need your force or organisation name, contact details of an authorised representative and reasonable evidence that you have permission to order a restricted design. Submitted artwork, reference files and approved proofs may include identifying names or numbers. Our website and security systems may also record technical information such as IP address, device/browser information, form submission data and security logs.
We do not ask you to provide more identification information than is reasonably needed to verify an order. Please avoid sending unrelated sensitive personal information.
Where does the information come from?
We receive information directly from you through quote forms, emails, orders or telephone enquiries; from your organisation where a colleague places an order on your behalf; and from technical systems that operate and secure our website. Where necessary, we may verify your purchasing authority with the organisation whose insignia you want reproduced.
Why do we use it and on what lawful basis?
| Purpose | Typical UK GDPR lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Reply to enquiries, prepare quotes, proofs and fulfil individual orders | Contract, or steps requested before entering a contract |
| Communicate with organisation contacts on business orders | Legitimate interests in handling business enquiries and providing our service |
| Check authority to reproduce official insignia and prevent misuse | Legitimate interests in responsible manufacturing, brand protection and fraud prevention; legal obligation where applicable |
| Keep invoices, tax and accounting records | Legal obligation |
| Protect our systems and resolve customer disputes | Legitimate interests in website security, business administration and establishing or defending claims |
| Send optional marketing communications | Consent where required, or another lawful marketing basis where permitted by law |
We assess which lawful basis applies to each actual processing activity before using your personal information. You can contact us for details of our legitimate interests where relevant.
Who receives your information?
We share personal information only where reasonably necessary to provide our services, administer our business or meet legal obligations. Depending on the services involved, recipients may include:
- Website hosting, security and IT service providers that support the operation and protection of our website and enquiry forms.
- Email and customer-service providers that help us receive, store and respond to enquiries and order correspondence.
- Payment, banking and accounting providers involved in handling payments, invoices and financial records.
- Artwork and manufacturing service providers, where engaged, which may receive the approved design, specification and other information required to fulfil an order.
- Postal services and couriers that require the recipient’s name, delivery address and relevant contact details to deliver an order.
- Professional advisers, regulators or authorities where disclosure is reasonably necessary or legally required.
For official police insignia, we may also contact the relevant police force, organisation or rights holder to verify that an order is authorised. We aim to share only the information needed for each purpose. We do not sell customer personal information.
Do we transfer information outside the UK?
Some organisations that support our website, email, customer service or order fulfilment may store or access personal information from outside the United Kingdom. This can include overseas hosting or support operations and, where applicable, artwork or manufacturing suppliers. We do not assume that information stays in the UK simply because an order is placed through a UK website.
Where a disclosure is a restricted international transfer under UK data-protection law, it must be covered by applicable UK adequacy regulations, appropriate safeguards (such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Addendum to the EU standard contractual clauses), or another lawful exception. We limit transfers to the information reasonably required for the relevant service.
To ask about the destination countries and safeguards applicable to your personal information, or to request information about the relevant safeguards, email [email protected].
How long do we keep information?
We do not keep personal information indefinitely. The period depends on the type of record, why it was collected, whether you are an active customer and any legal obligations that apply. Where a fixed period is not appropriate, we use the following criteria to decide when a record is no longer needed.
| Type of information | How we determine the retention period |
|---|---|
| Enquiries and quotations that do not become orders | Kept while we respond to your enquiry and for a reasonable follow-up period; reviewed for deletion when there is no ongoing enquiry, expected follow-up or other lawful need. |
| Completed orders, correspondence and delivery details | Kept for the time needed to fulfil the order, provide support, handle returns or complaints, and deal with relevant legal or contractual claims. |
| Artwork files and approved proofs | Kept while needed to manufacture your order or support requested repeat orders. Files that are no longer needed are deleted or stripped of unnecessary identifying details where possible. |
| Police insignia authorisation evidence | Kept only while necessary to verify the order, demonstrate permission to reproduce restricted designs and address any related disputes. Unnecessary copies of identification are removed once verification is complete. |
| Invoices, tax and accounting records | Kept for the period required by applicable law. UK VAT records generally must be retained for at least six years, although different or longer requirements can apply to particular records. |
| Website access and security logs | Kept for the period needed for website operation, security monitoring and investigation of suspected misuse, taking account of our service providers’ logging and backup arrangements. |
| Marketing preferences and opt-out records | Kept until you withdraw your marketing preference, with limited suppression information retained if needed to avoid contacting you again against your wishes. |
We review records periodically and securely delete or anonymise information when it is no longer needed. Information may be retained for longer where required by law or reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim. Backup copies may remain for a limited time under the relevant provider’s backup cycle.
How do we keep it secure?
We use reasonable organisational and technical controls intended to protect order files and personal information against unauthorised access, loss and misuse. Access to official insignia artwork and identity-verification material is limited to those who need it for the order. No internet service can guarantee absolute security.
Marketing and cookies
We use contact information to respond to your request. We will not treat a quote enquiry as permission to receive unrelated marketing. Where we send promotional messages, we follow applicable UK marketing rules and provide a way to opt out. See our Cookie Policy for information about cookies and similar technologies, including how to manage preferences.
What are your data-protection rights?
Subject to legal conditions and exceptions, you may request access to your personal data, correction, erasure, restriction, portability or object to certain processing. You can withdraw consent where we rely on it, without affecting prior lawful processing. To exercise a right, email [email protected]. We may need reasonable information to confirm your identity before disclosing records.
How do you make a privacy complaint?
Contact [email protected] and explain what concerns you. We will acknowledge a data-protection complaint within 30 days, investigate appropriately without undue delay, keep you informed of progress and communicate the outcome. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Our Complaints Procedure explains the process.
Changes to this notice
We may update this policy to reflect changes to our services, suppliers or legal requirements. The current version will be published here with its updated date. Last updated: 11-Oct-2026.