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8 April 2010
Your Ref:
Our Ref:
0191/2010
Mr Alastair Manderson
Force Disclosure Unit
Em
ail: request-30761-
Police Headquarters
[email address]
173 Pitt Street
GLASGOW
G2 4JS
Tel: 0141 435 1217
Fax: 0141 435 1218
Dear Mr Manderson
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NUMBER 0191/2010
I refer to your request for information dated 14 March 2010, which was received by
Strathclyde Police on 15 March 2010.
Your request for information has now been considered and on 8 April 2010, a decision was
made to provide some of the information requested by you. Some of the information
requested by you is, however, considered to be exempt in terms of the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (the Act). Section 16 of the Act requires Strathclyde Police
to provide you with a notice which: (a) states that it holds the information, (b) states that it is
claiming an exemption, (c) specifies the exemption in question and (d) states, if that would
not be otherwise apparent, why the exemption applies. Where information is considered to be
exempt, this letter serves as a Refusal Notice and an explanation of the appropriate exemption
is provided.
For ease of reference, I have provided a response to each of the questions posed by you, as
detailed below.
Could you provide me with the number of police officers involved in policing the recent
demonstration by Cairde na h’Eireann and which took the following route:
Elder St, Govan Rd, Orkney St, Broomloan Rd, Summertown Rd, Goven Rd, Squinty
Bridge, Lancefiled Quay, Anderston Quay, Broomielaw, Clyde St, Bridgegate, Saltmarket
then into the main gates of Glasgow Green.
In relation to the number of officers deployed at this event, this information is exempt for the
following reasons.
Section 35 (1) (a) and (b) – Law Enforcement
The information requested is exempt as its disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice
substantially the prevention or detection of crime and apprehension or prosecution of
offenders. The Cairde na h’Eireann parade and similar such parades are regularly policed by
this Force.
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If the number of police officers involved in policing a parade was disclosed, experience has
shown that it would allow those intent on committing crime or disorder at such events to
gauge the likelihood of detection or to take measures to negate the likelihood of detection.
The disclosure of the information will also allow criminals to plan how to disrupt future
parades or events of a similar nature and also how best to engage or occupy existing police
resources within the area of the parade to maximise their chances of committing serious crime
elsewhere. As a service we have considerable experience of this where organised criminal
groups create diversionary calls to divert police resources. In a similar vain we have evidence
that criminals actively target such events especially if police numbers are considered to be
low. While it could be argued that such criminal activity takes place without the numbers
being known, it is reasonable to assume that confirmation of the number of officers involved
would assist such activity by allowing more accurate judgements to be made by criminals
therefore harming the efficient and effective conduct of the service.
Section 39 (1) – Health, safety and the environment
The disclosure of the information requested would or would be likely to endanger the physical
health or safety of an individual. As previously described, to disclose police capability,
would allow those persons intent on committing crime or causing disorder to gauge the
likelihood of detection or to take measures to negate the likelihood of detection. This would
leave participants of the parade and members of the public at an increased risk of being the
victim of crime and jeopardise wider community safety. This could also lead to an increase in
the number of attacks on operational police officers by those being arrested or who have
committed crime.
Public Interest Test
As you will be aware, the exemptions listed above are non-absolute and require the
application of the Public Interest Test. I would suggest that public accountability would
favour disclosure as the information requested concerns the efficient and effective use of
resources by the Force. Secondly, disclosure of the information would also contribute
accurate information to the public debate on the issue of policing. That said I would contend
that the need to ensure the effective conduct of the Force in relation to prevention and
detection of crime and, the public safety considerations involved in policing favour non-
disclosure of the requested information. On balance I would contend that public interest in
disclosing the information is outweighed by that of maintaining the exemptions listed, as the
maintenance of a safe and just society is a fundamental duty of the police.
Could you based on this tell me the total policing cost of this event?
The total cost of policing this parade is £4,354.00
I hope this information is helpful, however, if you are not satisfied with the way in which
your request has been dealt with, you are entitled in the first instance to request a review of
the decision made by the Force. Should you wish to request such a review, please write to
Mrs Sheena Brennan, Disclosure Manager at the above address within 40 working days of
receiving this letter. Once informed of the Review Panel’s decision, if you are still not
satisfied, then you are entitled to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner within six
months for a decision. Contact details are; Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner,
Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, telephone 01334 464610.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in Strathclyde Police.
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Should you require any further assistance concerning this matter please contact me directly on
0141 435 1217 quoting the reference number given.
Yours sincerely
Susan McGinlay
Sergeant
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