Last updated: 26 August 2026
Practical Patrol is a patrol reporting app designed for community patrol teams and volunteers. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data.
We collect precise GPS coordinates while a patrol is running: the place a patrol starts and ends, and the location attached to each log you write. We use OpenStreetMap Nominatim to convert coordinates to street addresses.
While a patrol is running, the app records your position roughly every two minutes to build a record of the route the team walked. Recording continues when the app is in the background or your phone is locked, which is why iOS asks for "Always" location access. It starts when you start a patrol, stops when you pause or end one, and never runs when no patrol is active. Each recorded point holds a latitude, longitude, a timestamp and how accurate the reading was. Points are stored on your device first and uploaded to your patrol record when you have a connection.
We store the text and voice logs you create during patrols, including timestamps and locations. Voice recordings are transcribed on your device and only the text is stored.
We collect your email address for authentication via magic link sign-in. We do not collect passwords.
If you record team member names at the start of a patrol, this information is stored with the patrol record.
Your patrol logs are processed by Anthropic Claude AI to improve readability. This includes removing filler words, fixing speech-to-text errors, and formatting text. The AI does not store or learn from your data. Processing happens in real-time and the original and cleaned versions are both stored.
Your data is used to generate patrol reports that can be shared with your organisation. Reports include patrol routes, logs, and team information.
When a report is generated, the AI may look up where the team was at the time of a particular log — for example, when a log does not say where it happened. A location found this way is always described as approximate, and it never overrides a location you stated yourself. Coordinates are converted to street names only for the positions a report actually uses.
We use Supabase for authentication and cloud data storage. Your data is stored securely in Supabase's infrastructure. See Supabase Privacy Policy.
We use Anthropic's Claude AI for log cleanup. Log text is sent to Anthropic's API for processing. Anthropic does not use API data for training. See Anthropic Privacy Policy.
We use OpenStreetMap Nominatim for reverse geocoding (converting GPS coordinates to addresses). Only coordinates are sent, not personal data. See OpenStreetMap Privacy Policy.
Your data is stored locally on your device for offline access and synced to Supabase cloud storage when online. Data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS.
We implement row-level security to ensure you can only access your own data and data shared with your organisation.
Your patrol data is retained until you choose to delete it. You can delete individual logs, entire patrols, or request deletion of all your data.
If you delete the app, local data is removed. Cloud data remains until you request deletion.
A patrol's recorded route is kept for as long as the patrol record itself. Deleting a patrol deletes its entire route at the same time — the two cannot be separated. On your device, routes for finished patrols are removed after 90 days once they have been uploaded; routes that have not yet been uploaded are never removed automatically.
Practical Patrol is not intended for use by children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or your data, please contact us at privacy@practicalfoundry.com.