Violence against the person Unit

Dear Mr Purdy

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2010030002013
I write in connection with your request for information which was
received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 09/03/2010. I note
you seek access to the following information:

* "Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), Can you please release
information connected with the 'Outstanding Violent suspects list'
Including but not limited to; 1. A description of the
purpose of this document 2. The typical offences that may be found
on this document 3. how this document affects Policing at
direction of VAP units in the Metropolitan Police 4. A copy of
the document covering the period Aug 2008. 5. What is this
document? Yours faithfully, Mark Purdy "

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.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

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

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
write or contact Peter Deja on telephone number 0207 161 3640 quoting
the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Peter Deja
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 40 working days.
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

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Dear Mr Purdy

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2010030002013

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 09/03/2010. I note you seek
access to the following information:

"Can you please release information connected with the 'Outstanding
Violent Suspects list' including but not limited to;
1. A description of the purpose of this document
2. The typical offences that may be found on this document
3. How this document affects Policing at direction of VAP units in the
Metropolitan Police
4. A copy of the document covering the period Aug 2008
5. What is this document?"

Following receipt of your request searches were conducted within the MPS
to locate information relevant to your request.

EXTENT OF SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
at the Violent Crime Directorate - Territorial Policing Headquarters.

RESULT OF SEARCHES

Searches have failed to locate any information relevant to your request as
there is no document entitled the 'Outstanding Violent Suspects List'.
Therefore, the information you have requested is not held by the MPS.

In addition, please can I take this opportunity to inform you that there
are no specific 'VAP' units within the MPS. This type of crime would be
investigated by a range of units throughout the Service.

As you would expect, the MPS do keep records of persons who are wanted for
violent and other crimes. The MPS utilises such information to ensure
that enquiries are pursued to locate and arrest such persons promptly.

If you would like to provide a further description as to what information
the document you have requested might contain, I will be happy to conduct
further searches to determine whether any documents matching your
description are held. If it would be easier to call and discuss this,
please feel free to contact me on 0207 321 7064 quoting the above
reference number.

For your information, details of persons who are wanted will be released
by the Police via the appropriate channels in circumstances where public
assistance in locating the person is judged to be beneficial. Details of
persons wanted are not routinely released for operational reasons.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

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

Yours sincerely

Deborah Solomon
Information Manager
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 Complaints
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1TR

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 40 working days.
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

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Dear Mr Purdy,

In response to your email dated 12 April 2010, I can confirm that a
reply was sent to you in relation to request number 2010030002013 on 22
March 2010. This response can be viewed on the Whatdotheyknow.com
website.

As explained in the original response, the list entitled 'Outstanding
Violent Suspects' that you requested could not be located and is
therefore not held by the MPS. You were offered the opportunity to
discuss with us what information you believed the document contained in
order for us to conduct further searches but we did not receive a
response.

If you would like to provide us with more details we will be happy to
log the request and conduct further searches. If you are unable to do
so, and are unhappy with the response already provided to you, I would
suggest you request an internal review in writing. This avenue must be
exhausted prior to seeking a decision from the I.C.O.

Please feel free to contact me on 07917 627 475 if you would like to
discuss your request further.

I hope this has clarified matters.

Kind regards,

Deborah Solomon
Information Manager - TPHQ

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Dear Mr Purdy

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2010050001614

I write in connection with your letter dated 11 May 2010 requesting that
the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) review its response to your request
for information relating to:

* FOIA complaint on closed FOIA request 2010030002013..

The review will be conducted in accordance to the MPS's complaints
procedure. The MPS endeavour to respond to your complaint by 9 June 2010.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me quoting the reference number above.

Thank you for your interest in the MPS.

Yours sincerely

S. Strong
FOIA Policy Research & Complaints 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, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
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 Mark Purdy,

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2010050001614

Further to our letter of 14 May 2010, I am now able to provide a full
response to your complaint dated 11 May 2010 concerning:

** FOIA complaint on closed FOIA request 2010030002013..

Original Request:

Can you please release information connected with the 'Outstanding Violent
suspects list'. Including but not limited to;

1. A description of the purpose of this document
2. The typical offences that may be found on this document
3. How this document affects Policing at direction of VAP units in the
Metropolitan Police?
4. A copy of the document covering the period Aug 2008.
5. What is this document ?

Request for Review:

I am writing to request an internal review of Metropolitan Police Service
(MPS)'s handling of my FOI request 'Violence against the person Unit'.
Please review your decision not to provide information in relation to this
request. I have been provided information from the met police confirming
that such a unit and document exists. It therefore concerns me that you
deny knowledge of this unit and material.

If you continue to refuse disclosure of this information, i will provide
supporting information that the material exists to the ICO. I do think it
is highly suspicious that you deny this material exists when I have
information to the contrary.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on
the Internet at this address:
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/vi...

1. DECISION

1.1 The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has completed its review and
has decided to uphold the original decision.

1.2 In accordance with The Code of Practice (Freedom Of Information Act
2000, section 45), I would like to advise you that this complaint process
provides a fair and thorough review of handling issues and of decisions
taken in pursuant to the Act, including decisions taken about where the
public interest lies in respect of exempt information. It should enable a
fresh decision to be taken on a reconsideration of all the factors
relevant to the issue.

Please see the legal annex for the sections of the Act that are referred
to in this letter

2 Review decision in respect of the DELAY IN RESPONDING TO THIS REQUEST:

2.1 I take note of your comment in the email dated 12 April 2010 ' I
understand that you are supposed to provide a response within 20 days.
This has not happened. Can you please attend to this or I will send the
matter the ICO this coming fri.'

2.2 The statutory time limit for responding to a Freedom of Information
Act request is set out in Section 10(1) of the Act 2000 (the 'Act') which
states that a public authority must comply with section1(1) promptly and
in any event not later than the twentieth working day following the date
of receipt.

Therefore, a public authority must inform the applicant in writing whether
it holds the information requested and if so, communicate that information
to the applicant, promptly, but not later than 20 working days after
receipt of the request. Similarly, when a request for information is being
refused, ICO guidance also states that the public authority must issue a
refusal notice to the requester within 20 working days following the date
of receipt of the request.

2.3 Your request for information was received by the MPS on the 9th March
2010 and therefore a response should have been sent by the 8th April 2010.
A response was sent by the MPS to you on the 22nd March 2010, which I see
is attached to your request on whatdotheyknow public website on the same
date. I can confirm that in this instance there is no breach of section
10 of the Act.

3. Review decision in respect of the MPS unable to locate information on
DOCUMENT entitled 'Outstanding Violent Suspects List'

I take note of your comment in your request for a review '.. I have been
provided information from the met police confirming that such a unit and
document exists...i will provide supporting information that the material
exists to the ICO..'

I also take note of your comment '..If you continue to refuse disclosure
of this information..' . The MPS responded on the 22nd March 2010, that
searches have failed to locate any information relevant to your request as
there is no document entitled the 'Outstanding Violent Suspects List'.
Consequently, the information you have requested is deemed not to be held
by the MPS and therefore consideration of an exemption was not required in
this case.

The review has carried out further searches to assist in locating the
document that you refer to but to no avail. I take note of the two emails
sent to you on 22nd March 2010 and 13 April 2010 asking if you would like
to provide a further description as to what the document you have
requested might contain so that the MPS can conduct further searches for
you in order to locate the information you have requested. However, no
response has been received to allow the MPS to carry out further searches
for you.

4. Review decision in respect of the MPS unable to locate information on
VAP UNIT

In respect of your request for '...how this document affects Policing at
direction of VAP units in the Metropolitan Police...' I can confirm the
MPS has no specific VAP (violence against the person) Unit. The Home
Office category of VAP (Violence against the person) include offences of
Murder, Wounding/GBH, Assault with injury, Common assault, Offensive
weapon, Harassment, Other violence. As explained in the original response
such offences would be investigated by a range of units throughout the
service. This will include Community Safety Units who investigate
incidents of Domestic Violence, Homophobia, Transphobia, Racism; criminal
offences where a person has been targeted because of their perceived race,
faith, sexual orientation, or disability. The link to these units can be
found here: http://www.met.police.uk/csu/whatcsu.htm

There are many other specialist units whose work will include dealing with
violence against the person. These units can be found via the attached
website on the MPS structure which can be found via this link
http://www.met.police.uk/about/organisat...

Each of the 33 MPS Borough Operational command units (BOCU) will have
units such as a Criminal Investigation Department and Safer Neighbourhood
Teams who will deal with such category of offences. The link to each
Borough can be found via this link: http://www.met.police.uk/local/

5. IN CONCLUSION

Whilst I appreciate this is not the response you would have liked, I hope
the explanation I have provided has shed some light on why the MPS is
unable to comply with your request without further details of the document
you refer to. You state in your request for a review that you have been
provided with information confirming such a unit and document exists. I
will be happy to assist you if you can provide me with the aforementioned
information covering the period August 2008, as explained to you in the
MPS original response.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

If you are dissatisfied with this response please read the attached paper
entitled Complaint Rights which explains how to contact the Information
Commissioner with your complaint.

Should you have any further inquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me on 02071613605 or at the address at the top of this letter,
quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Mike Lyng
Quality and Assurance Advisor

LEGAL ANNEX

Section 1 (General right of access to information held by public
authorities) of the Act provides:

1) A public authority which, in relation to any request for information,
is to any extent relying on a claim that any provision of Part II relating
to the duty to confirm or deny is relevant to the request or on a claim
that information is exempt information must, within the time for complying
with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice which-
(a) states that fact,
(b) specifies the exemption in question, and
(c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption
applies.
(2) Where-
(a) in relation to any request for information, a public authority is, as
respects any information, relying on a claim-
(i) that any provision of Part II which relates to the duty to confirm or
deny and is not specified in section 2(3) is relevant to the request, or
(ii) that the information is exempt information only by virtue of a
provision not specified in section 2(3), and
(b) at the time when the notice under subsection (1) is given to the
applicant, the public authority (or, in a case falling within section
66(3) or (4), the responsible authority) has not yet reached a decision as
to the application of subsection (1)(b) or (2)(b) of section 2,
the notice under subsection (1) must indicate that no decision as to the
application of that provision has yet been reached and must contain an
estimate of the date by which the authority expects that such a decision
will have been reached.
(3) A public authority which, in relation to any request for information,
is to any extent relying on a claim that subsection (1)(b) or (2)(b) of
section 2 applies must, either in the notice under subsection (1) or in a
separate notice given within such time as is reasonable in the
circumstances, state the reasons for claiming-
(a) that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in
maintaining the exclusion of the duty to confirm or deny outweighs the
public interest in disclosing whether the authority holds the information,
or
(b) that, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in
maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the
information.
(4) A public authority is not obliged to make a statement under subsection
(1)(c) or (3) if, or to the extent that, the statement would involve the
disclosure of information which would itself be exempt information.
(5) A public authority which, in relation to any request for information,
is relying on a claim that section 12 or 14 applies must, within the time
for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice stating that
fact.
(6) Subsection (5) does not apply where-
(a) the public authority is relying on a claim that section 14 applies,
(b) the authority has given the applicant a notice, in relation to a
previous request for information, stating that it is relying on such a
claim, and
(c) it would in all the circumstances be unreasonable to expect the
authority to serve a further notice under subsection (5) in relation to
the current request.
(7) A notice under subsection (1), (3) or (5) must-
(a) contain particulars of any procedure provided by the public authority
for dealing with complaints about the handling of requests for information
or state that the authority does not provide such a procedure, and
(b) contain particulars of the right conferred by section 50.

Section 10 (Time for compliance with request ) of the Act provides:

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a public authority must comply
with section 1(1) promptly and in any event not later than the twentieth
working day following the date of receipt.
(2) Where the authority has given a fees notice to the applicant and the
fee is paid in accordance with section 9(2), the working days in the
period beginning with the day on which the fees notice is given to the
applicant and ending with the day on which the fee is received by the
authority are to be disregarded in calculating for the purposes of
subsection (1) the twentieth working day following the date of receipt.
(3) If, and to the extent that-
(a) section 1(1)(a) would not apply if the condition in section 2(1)(b)
were satisfied, or
(b) section 1(1)(b) would not apply if the condition in section 2(2)(b)
were satisfied,
the public authority need not comply with section 1(1)(a) or (b) until
such time as is reasonable in the circumstances; but this subsection does
not affect the time by which any notice under section 17(1) must be given.
(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that subsections (1)
and (2) are to have effect as if any reference to the twentieth working
day following the date of receipt were a reference to such other day, not
later than the sixtieth working day following the date of receipt, as may
be specified in, or determined in accordance with, the regulations.
(5) Regulations under subsection (4) may-
(a) prescribe different days in relation to different cases, and
(b) confer a discretion on the Commissioner.
(6) In this section-
"the date of receipt" means-
(a) the day on which the public authority receives the request for
information, or
(b) if later, the day on which it receives the information referred to in
section 1(3);
"working day" means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday,
Christmas Day, Good Friday or a day which is a bank holiday under the
[1971 c. 80.] Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in any part of the
United Kingdom.
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, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.
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

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