Dear Sir or Madam,

I wish to request the amount of money which has been spent on the
private photographers who work with the Forward Intelligence Teams
on an annual basis. As well as a total budget figure I would like
to request that the photographer's payscale or hourly/daily rate is
made public.

Yours faithfully,

Johnny Void

Dear Mr Void

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008070002641

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 07/07/2008. I note you seek
access to the following information:

I wish to request the amount of money which has been spent on the private
photographers who work with the Forward Intelligence Teams on an annual
basis. As well as a total budget figure I would like to request that the
photographer's pay scale or hourly/daily rate is made public.

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to
the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to achieve this
deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

There may be a fee payable for the retrieval, collation and provision of
the information you request. If this is the case you will be informed and
the 20 working day timescale will be suspended until we receive payment
from you. If you choose not to make payment then your request will remain
unanswered.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
the MPS.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
to contact Andrea Duncan quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Andrea Duncan
Policy & Support Team Leader

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections

Dear Ms Duncan,

RE: Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008070002641

I note with disappointment that you have not replied to the Freedom
of Information request I made on 9/07/08 regarding the
costs/salaries of Forward Intelligence Team photographers.

As I'm sure you are aware under the Terms of the Freedom of
Information Act you are now breaking the law.

Such casual disregard for the law from the countries largest police
authority may seem shocking to some.

So I ask again:

"I wish to request the amount of money which has been spent on the
private photographers who work with the Forward Intelligence Teams
on an annual basis. As well as a total budget figure I would like
to request that the photographer's pay scale or hourly/daily rate
is made public."

Obviously if a response is not forthcoming I will be complelled to
make a complaint to the MPA and if I still do not receive the
information requested then I will make a complaint to the
Information Commissioner.

I will take this opportunity to quote the Information
Commissioner's website on the steps taken if you continue to ignore
this request:

" What if the public authority ignores a decision notice?

If a public authority ignores a notice, the Information
Commissioner can make an application to the High Court. The court
will investigate and may deal with the authority as if it has
committed contempt of court. The punishment may be a fine or even
imprisonment."

Regards

Johnny Void

Dear Mr Void

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008070002641

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 07/07/2008. I note you seek
access to the following information:

· I wish to request the amount of money which has been spent on the
private photographers who work with the Forward Intelligence Teams on an
annual basis. As well as a total budget figure I would like to request
that the photographer's payscale or hourly/daily rate is made public.

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within the MPS
to locate information relevant to your request. I can confirm that the
information you have requested is held by the MPS.

EXTENT OF SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
at Finance Services and CO11 Public Order.

RESULT OF SEARCHES

The searches located records relevant to your request.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

All photographers who work with the Forward Intelligence Teams are members
of Police staff, no private photographers work with the Forward
Intelligence Teams.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
the MPS.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Mark Kearney on telephone number 0207 1611854 quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Mark Kearney
Finance Resource & Performance Manager

In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law. Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 1st Floor (Victoria Block), New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London,
SW1H 0BG.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Kearney,

Thank you for your late and somewhat disengenuos response. That
said it is interesting to note that FIT Team photographers are
directly employed by the MPA and not freelance as some have
speculated.

It should therefore be relatively easy to answer the following
questions:

Can you tell me the pay scale that FIT Team photographers work
under. To clarify, the starting annual salary and the top rate of
salary for a FIT Team Photographer.

Whilst I understand you may not be able to give information on
individual employees it may help to shed light on this matter if
you were to inform me of the annual salary of the highest paid FIT
Team photographer.

Added to that it should prove no problem to tell me what the total
budget for FIT Team photographers is, ie the combined salaries,
on-costs and other expenses relating to there individual's
employment.

I would further like to ask where and how FIT Team Photographers
are recruited. Are these posts advertised for in publications that
are widely read in line with good equal opportunities practice?

Could you please provide me with a list of publications which have
been used to advertise these positions and failing that explain as
thoroughly as you are able exactly how these photographers are
recruited?

Finally the MPA's Equality Statement says that it promotes:

"equality of opportunity irrespective of race, gender, disability,
age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or working
arrangement."

In the spirit of this could you provide a breakdown of the
ethnicity and gender of FIT Team photographers so I can ascertain
whether this reflects the diversity of Greater London.

Regards

Johnny Void

Dear Mr Void

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080003501

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 12 August 2008. I note you
seek access to the following information:

Can you tell me the pay scale that FIT Team photographers work
under.
To clarify, the starting annual salary and the top rate of
salary for a FIT Team Photographer.

Whilst I understand you may not be able to give information on
individual employees it may help to shed light on this matter if
you were to inform me of the annual salary of the highest paid FIT
Team photographer.

Added to that it should prove no problem to tell me what the total
budget for FIT Team photographers is, ie the combined salaries,
on-costs and other expenses relating to there individual's
employment.

I would further like to ask where and how FIT Team Photographers
are recruited. Are these posts advertised for in publications that
are widely read in line with good equal opportunities practice?

Could you please provide me with a list of publications which have
been used to advertise these positions and failing that explain as
thoroughly as you are able exactly how these photographers are
recruited?

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act, subject to
the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to achieve this
deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
the MPS.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact the Public Access Office via the e-mail address at the top of
this letter,quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

K.Simmons
Policy and Support Officer

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Void,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2008080003501

I respond in connection with your request for information dated 12/08/2008
which was received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 12/08/2008.
I note you seek access to the following information:

The pay scale that FIT Team photographers work under. To clarify, the
starting annual salary and the top rate of
salary for a FIT Team Photographer.

The annual salary of the highest paid FIT
Team photographer.

The total
budget for FIT Team photographers is, ie the combined salaries,
on-costs and other expenses relating to there individual's
employment.

Where and how FIT Team Photographers
are recruited. Are these posts advertised for in publications that
are widely read in line with good equal opportunities practice?

A list of publications which have
been used to advertise these positions and failing that explain as
thoroughly as you are able exactly how these photographers are
recruited?

A breakdown of the ethnicity and gender of FIT photographers.

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within the MPS
to locate information relevant to your request. I can confirm that the
information you have requested is held by the MPS.

EXTENT OF SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
within the Specialist Crime Directorate.

DECISION

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

The pay scale that FIT Team photographers work under. To clarify, the
starting annual salary and the top rate of
salary for a FIT Team Photographer.

The salary of a Band P MPS employee is £26,336 rising to £32,455.

The annual salary of the highest paid FIT
Team photographer.

The salary of a Band V MPS employee is £32,455. rising to £38,058.

The total
budget for FIT Team photographers is, ie the combined salaries,
on-costs and other expenses relating to there individual's
employment.

The MPS does not recruit photographers specifically for FIT duties. All
photographers are employed in a generic photographic capacity, later
deployment in a FIT role is dependent on them volunteering to undertake
this role and attaining the required physical fitness and skills required.
There is no specific budget for a FIT photographer as this is only one
element of photographic output within a multi skilled team. There are
currently 2 Band V and 10 Band P forensic practitioners that undertake FIT
duties as part of their general Scene of Crime duties.

Where and how FIT Team Photographers
are recruited. Are these posts advertised for in publications that
are widely read in line with good equal opportunities practice?

The MPS has been able to recruit photographers by advertising
internally and utilising the skills and knowledge demonstrated by the
successful candidates.

A list of publications which have
been used to advertise these positions and failing that explain as
thoroughly as you are able exactly how these photographers are
recruited?

The last external recruitment for photographers was in February 2004
and the position was advertised in the London Evening Standard and Job
Centre Plus.

A breakdown of the ethnicity and gender of FIT photographers.
There are currently 12 staff that undertake FIT duties, all of whom
are white males.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me on telephone number 020 7230 4019 quoting the reference number
above.

Yours sincerely

Peter Royan-Posse
Case Investigation Officer

In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service will not breach the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act 1988. However, the rights of the copyright owner of the
enclosed information will continue to be protected by law. Applications
for the copyright owner's written permission to reproduce any part of the
attached information should be addressed to MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 1st Floor (Victoria Block), New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London,
SW1H 0BG.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within three months.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections