Rochester PAB: Misplaced laptop did not store sensitive information
A Police Accountability Board employee's password-protected laptop found outside of the building Tuesday did not store sensitive or confidential case information, according to the oversight agency.
The situation was the result of "human error and bad luck," the PAB said.
The PAB said an employee fell when leaving the building and accidentally left the items behind in a rush to seek medical attention.
During a budget hearing discussion before City Council Thursday, city attorney Linda Kingsley said the incident raised concerns over security of confidential materials at the PAB.
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Interim Executive Director Sherry Walker-Cowart said there was no risk of an information leak.
Walker-Cowart said sensitive case information and materials sent to the agency by the Rochester Police Department are stored either on the cloud-based server SharePoint ― which is protected by a multi-factor authentication process ― or in a secure and restricted evidence room inside the PAB office.
Only select personnel can access the information; the employee who misplaced the laptop is not one of them, Walker-Cowart said.
"This incident was an unfortunate combination of human error and bad luck," she said. "When you hear PAB, people think the computer has all kinds of confidential information on it. That computer didn't have anything. That person doesn't have access to the information that we receive from the police department."
The laptop was returned Tuesday.
Kayla Canne reports on community justice and safety efforts for the Democrat and Chronicle. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com or on Twitter @kaylacanne.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: PAB says no risk of information leak after employee misplaced laptop
