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Our Ref:
IM-FOI-2017-1518
Date:
4 September 2017
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 - INTERNAL REVIEW
In accordance with section 20(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, I
understand that you have requested a review of the decision communicated to you on 7
August 2017 in respect of your original request for information, received 10 July 2017.
Original Request
I would be grateful if you could provide confirmation of the number of recorded
assaults committed against Police Scotland officers and support staff in the past 24
months.
Request for Review
I am concerned that the force appears to be suggesting assaults against Police
Scotland officers and staff aren't recorded in a manner which would make it easy to
search and sort. While my request requested assaults against officers and staff, I'd
be happy to accept assaults against staff aren't recorded central y but considering
assaults against police officers are typical y charged as such, I can't understand
why this information would not be simpler to obtain and disclose.
My role is to consider the response issued and determine whether or not your request was
handled in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
2002.
As part of the review, I am also required to consider the quality of the administrative
process applied to your request and I am pleased to record no deficiency in that regard.
In reviewing the response I have studied al documentation relevant to the request,
including that which documents both the research carried out and the decision making
process.
The decision I have to make is whether or not section 12 of the Act was correctly applied
to your request.
Crimes in Scotland are recorded in accordance with the Scot ish Government Justice
Department (SGJD) of ence classification codes.
There exists a classification - assault of an emergency worker - which encompasses
assaults against police of icers and, in some situations, police staf , but the same
classification also includes assaults of other emergency workers.
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@PoliceScotland
PoliceScotland
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Furthermore, in some circumstances, assaults against members of staf wil be recorded
as common assault and assaults against of icers and staf can also be recorded as serious
assault or even at empted murder, depending on the circumstances.
In terms of your request, the position is that the thirteen geographic divisions of Police
Scotland (once eight police forces) continue to use dif erent recording systems in relation
to the recording of crime.
In terms of the assault of an emergency worker classification specifical y, I can advise you
that some of the thirteen divisional systems have the capability whereby these of ences
can be narrowed specifical y to of ences in terms of section 90 of the Police and Fire
Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 but crucial y, not al have this functionality.
Taking al of the above into account, I am satisfied that your request has been handled in
accordance with the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 and in terms of section
21(4)(a) of the Act, I uphold the original response and agree that section 12 of the Act was
correctly applied.
Should you require any further assistance concerning this mat er please contact
Information Management - Dundee on 01382 596657 quoting the reference number given.
If you remain dissatisfied fol owing the review of this case, you then have six months in
which you may appeal to the Scot ish Information Commissioner who can be contacted as
fol ows:
Online appeal service - www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
Scot ish Information Commissioner
Telephone: 01334 464610
Kinburn Castle
Email: xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxxx
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Should you wish to appeal against the Scot ish Information Commissioner's decision, there
is an appeal to the Court of Session on a point of law only.
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scotland.police.uk
@PoliceScotland
PoliceScotland