Preserving Secret Police Records

Define purpose and legal footing. Clarify preservation goals, lawful authority, and ethical boundaries; consult counsel on legal holds and secrecy laws.

Form a trusted core team. Recruit vetted legal experts, archivists, digital-security specialists, and survivor representatives with clear roles and separation of duties.

Identify priority records. Map which files, logs, or media face imminent destruction or tampering; set harm-reduction and triage criteria.

Design secure intake workflows. Establish encrypted submissions, tamper-evident chain-of-custody forms, metadata standards, and multi-person verification.

Train and recruit discreetly. Onboard helpers through trusted networks; train confidentiality, trauma-informed handling, and digital hygiene.

Preserve and duplicate safely. Secure physical archives, scan fragile materials, generate cryptographic hashes, and store copies offline in multiple repositories.

Document threats and seek orders. Log interference attempts and pursue preservation orders or injunctions where feasible.

Govern access and amplify responsibly. Maintain an oversight panel, redact sensitive data, publish integrity proofs, and coordinate findings with human-rights bodies without exposing sources.