Can a UK Border Immigration Officer remove a stop indicator flag?

Today at Belfast airport I was detained for about twenty minutes while the border officer left her terminal at the primary control point (PCP) and went to review my profile/files at the secure control point.

Stop indicator. It's a simple yes/no flag and a code; no other information is available to the IO at the control point. They have to go to a secured control point to get the details.

I was previously refused a UK visa in 2015, and earlier this year I traveled to the UK as a non-visa national and was granted entry after a lengthy detention. My trip today was once again as a non-visa national without obtaining advance entry clearance. I was asked the standard what are you visiting for, how long are you staying, and then have you ever had any problem with UK immigration, after which she took my passport and issued me with a form IS 81, asked me to take a seat, and went off into their offices.

After the officer returned, she apologized (there must be something in the water in Belfast) for holding me up and explained it was because of because of my entry clearance refusal back in 2015. Without request, she went on to say she would request the stop indicator be removed. There was no interview except the initial questions and they also did not ask for any documents.

My question is does a border control officer have the authority to request a stop indicator to be removed, or was she just blowing hot air up my behind? My understanding from reading answers here has been that pretty much nothing can be done about a stop indicator for at least ten years.

There is nothing that can be done about it and there is no way to purge it from their records. They are entitled to make a notation and if it has meaning for them, so be it. Just go about your business and deal with them in a stand up way and let them look up whatever they want.

Scouring the internet, I come across a solution by one person who supposedly had a similar problem

I was in the same boat as you, until a very nice immigration officer stopped me and advised me what to do; I emailed home office UKBAeuropeanenquiries@ukba.gsi.gov.uk and cc:UKBACustomerComplaints@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

Write professionally, and explain your problem. They will then look into your case and remove that notification of your profile. It took them one month to respond but the case worker was very apologetic.

One would think if an IO requested the traveler to do this to resolve the situation, then IO himself/herself cannot make such a request contrary to what my IO told me today. Worth noting though that this fellow had indefinite leave to remain (which I assume gives him more rights with UK immigration) while I am merely a visitor.