<p>This study examines use and users of information and records originating in the context of a contemporary police organisation. This area of research has only been of focus for a relatively few researchers. This in contrast to use and users of historical archives which has been in centre for more studies. The study is conducted with a quantitative method structuring data from 120 selected registered matters containing user queries. The research questions addressed are:</p><p>- what user categories use the records of the authority</p><p>- which are the ways of contacting the authority preferred by the users</p><p>- which are the identifiers provided by the users and how well are they matched by the search artefacts available to the staff of the authority</p><p>- what information and records are sought-after by the users.</p><p>For comparing the identifiers provided to the search artefacts has been selected the two most frequently used registry systems within the authority. They are the registries for criminal matters and for traffic related matters. To analyse the findings are used a theoretical framework from the Records Continuum theory with special interest in the fourth dimension.</p><p>Models of users and use of records and information are used both to structure the data collected and to analyse the findings. The used models are different in their ways of categorizing the users and their reasons for using records. This due to different the perspectives and research of the they are based on. The results of the study shows that the characteristics of users and use of records are dependent of the records held by the actual organization (here authority). In the researched organization users from other organizations are far more frequent than private users. The private users also contact the authority in many different ways preferring direct contact when other organizations are more likely to use fewer ways of contact and preferring non-direct ways of contact. The identifiers used differs between the different user groups and are also depending on the type of record requested.</p>

This study examines use and users of information and records originating in the context of a contemporary police organisation. This area of research has only been of focus for a relatively few researchers. This in contrast to use and users of historical archives which has been in centre for more studies. The study is conducted with a quantitative method structuring data from 120 selected registered matters containing user queries. The research questions addressed are: - what user categories use the records of the authority - which are the ways of contacting the authority preferred by the users - which are the identifiers provided by the users and how well are they matched by the search artefacts available to the staff of the authority - what information and records are sought-after by the users. For comparing the identifiers provided to the search artefacts has been selected the two most frequently used registry systems within the authority. They are the registries for criminal matters and for traffic related matters. To analyse the findings are used a theoretical framework from the Records Continuum theory with special interest in the fourth dimension. Models of users and use of records and information are used both to structure the data collected and to analyse the findings. The used models are different in their ways of categorizing the users and their reasons for using records. This due to different the perspectives and research of the they are based on. The results of the study shows that the characteristics of users and use of records are dependent of the records held by the actual organization (here authority). In the researched organization users from other organizations are far more frequent than private users. The private users also contact the authority in many different ways preferring direct contact when other organizations are more likely to use fewer ways of contact and preferring non-direct ways of contact. The identifiers used differs between the different user groups and are also depending on the type of record requested.