Climate camp "compendium of information"

David Hansen made this Freedom of Information request to Kent Police

Kent Police did not have the information requested.

From: David Hansen

1 April 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

I have two questions for Kent Police regarding their illegal
activities against the fine upstanding citizens attending the
Climate Camp in 2008.

In
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cl...
I was told that the staffing problems were hopefully about to be
resolved and the long awaited "compendium of information" would be
put on your web site. I have just checked and this basic
information has still not been provided. It does seem that Kent
Police has something to hide.

Is it still Kent Police's position that this information has not
been provided due to "staff shortages", or is there another excuse
now?

I note that Kent Police have now spun the list of items stolen by
them at the climate camp. Instead of providing what is supposed to
be the full list (which Nigel Amos helpfully provided a link to
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pd...
in
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/th...)
http://www.kent.police.uk/News/Latest_Ne...
only contains a short list which "mysteriously" fails to mention
things like the "assortment of coloured marker pens", "bluetac",
"tweezers", "blankets / rugs" and so on which are in the full list.

Please provide me with a copy of the criteria which were used to
decide which items in
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pd...
were to be included on
http://www.kent.police.uk/News/Latest_Ne...
and which items were to be excluded.

For the avoidance of doubt. please note that "replies" which
involve attachments in proprietary file formats are not acceptable.
A reply which is not in plain text format will be deemed to be a
refusal to answer.

Yours faithfully,

David Hansen

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From: Freedom of Information Freedom of Information
Kent Police

6 April 2009

Attachment Your Rights A Summary 2008.pdf
156K Download View as HTML

Attachment attachment.txt
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Dear Mr Hansen

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST 2671-2009

Thank you for your request received by Kent Police on 1 April 2009. I note
you seek access, in summary, to the following information:

Regarding staff shortage issues within Kent Police and a request for data
regarding police actions at Climate Camp 2008.

Your interest in Kent Police is appreciated and pending a specific
response to your request, I enclose a sheet, which summarises your rights.
Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact me on telephone number 01622 194429 quoting the reference
number above.

Yours sincerely,

Freedom of Information Team
Data Protection Unit
Kent Police
Force HQ
Sutton Road
Maidstone
Kent ME15 9BZ

E-mail: [Kent Police request email]
Tel: +44 (0)1622 654429/654413
Fax: +44 (0)1622 654437
Internal: 19-4429/4413

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David Hansen left an annotation (29 May 2009)

Kent Police did not reply to this FOI enquiry directly, but included it in a reply to another enquiry. Below is their reply, copied here.

In
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cl...
I was told that the staffing problems were hopefully about to be resolved and the long awaited compendium of information" would be put on your web site. I have just checked and this basic information has still
not been provided. It does seem that Kent Police has something to hide.

Is it still Kent Police's position that this information has not been provided due to "staff shortages", or is there another excuse now?

This question asks for comment. As has been previously explained to you, this is not a form of information a public authority is required to provide under the Act.

I note that Kent Police have now spun the list of items stolen by them at the climate camp. Instead of providing what is supposed to be the full list (which Nigel Amos helpfully provided a link to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pd...
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/th...)

http://www.kent.police.uk/News/Latest_Ne...
only contains a short list which "mysteriously" fails to mention things like the "assortment of coloured marker pens", "bluetac", "tweezers", "blankets / rugs" and so on which are in the full list. Please provide
me with a copy of the criteria which were used to decide which items in http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pd... were to be included on
http://www.kent.police.uk/News/Latest_Ne...
and which items were to be excluded.

Answer. There is no recorded criteria and so this information is not held. Any further statement in relation to this would be comment, which once again I remind you that I am not required to provide under the Act. However, I note that the short list accompanies the following comment from ACC Thomas, the Strategic Commander of the Operation, which very obviously provides a context for the short list. 'It was clear from the start of the camp that some items taken there
were for criminal purposes including the majority of what we seized. These include grappling hooks, climbing equipment, bolt cutters and a range of locks and bolts. By seizing such items we could let the protest proceed, more confident that the Power Station could operate safe from attack. It is better to prevent criminality than to deal with its consequences.”

The full list of items has now been included in the compendium of information. This is currently undergoing completion and will be published on our website in the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely,

Nigel AmosFreedom of Information Advisor

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Things to do with this request

Anyone:
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