Police Involvement with abuse in care settings in NI

The request was partially successful.

Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,

I have recently been made aware of abuse in a NI Trust (Western, Lakeview Derry) which was potentially not regulated by the care regulatior as it should have been, and this is worrying. I do not have faith at present in the care regulator, RQIA.
A journalist reported:
"A senior health manager privately said a decision by the health regulator not to immediately publish major criticisms of a hospital for the vulnerable was "an absolute gift" because it saved them from “damning” media coverage, a whistleblower has revealed."

With this in mind, I am very concerned that there is favouritism being shown to some Trusts/ Trust staff, unprofessional and undeserved leniency in the face of abuse, and a straying from the strict policies which RQIA should have when reporting abuse.

I contacted PSNI and an officer said (having seen NONE of the written evidence which supports my fears), that this was all my "perception" and he was "sure RQIA did their job properly".
(Intense bias and judgement on his part, not based on facts)

I emailed
[email address] and was told to email the Trust, the place where the abuse took place.
(How am I supossed to trust that they would tell the truth about abuse by their own staff?)

(This is the equivalent of me seeing an assault on the street, calling the police, and the police telling me to go and make a complaint to the assailant.)

This is, I feel, the PSNI showing massive disrcimination to the vulnerable people in care homes.

(Why are the rules for keeping people safe outside care homes, different for keeping people safe IN care homes?

Why does the PSNI trust the abusers if they work in care homes, and not trust them if they don't?)

I can see from the media that the PSNI got inolved (rightly) with abuse at Muckamore, and in Dec 2021 the PSNI arrested the 27th person,

(https://www.newsletter.co.uk/health/muck...)

So why is it that when I come to PSNI about possible collusion between Trusts and RQIA, (RQIA said that not immediately publishing major crisiticms was due to "staff shortages" (for FOUR MONTHS?!), I am told to make a complaint to the Trust? (what good will that do?)

So, under FOI law, please outline

the full text within ALL relevant PSNI policies / procedures that PSNI use when deciding to investigate or NOT investigate abuse within care homes or any care settings, or any collusion by any organistion which protects abusers and leaves vulnerable people at high risk.

Your PSNI officer said "police don't get involed, police dont have the resources etc etc" but in truth, the PSNI Cannot leave the vulnerable who can't speak or walk and have no family around, in less safe situations, than people "out and about in society"

Where are there circumsances when PSNI do act , and others where they don't?

PS the people in care homes are much more likely to , after /during being abused *not* have anyone speak up for them, than people not in care homes. Due to their disabilities and people protecting their jobs.

Faithfully, Joan Corrigan

Police Service of Northern Ireland

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

18th March 2022

Dear Ms Corrigan,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 16th March
2022 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 16th March 2022.  I note you seek access to the following information:

Police Involvement with abuse in care settings in NI

This request will be dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. A response should be sent to you within 20 working
days however I would like to advise you that PSNI are currently
experiencing a delay in the processing of requests and we aim to respond
to your request as soon as possible.

If your request is unclear and clarification is required the 20 day
legislative time limit dictated by the Freedom of Information Act 2000
will be stopped until we receive clarification of your request. The ICO
guidance at paragraph 40 of the link below sets out that the clock begins
anew the day after the clarification is received. It states

“If the requester subsequently provides enough detail to enable the
authority to identify and locate the information, then the authority must
respond to the clarified request within a new 20 working day time limit
with the ‘clock’ starting the day after it receives the required
clarification. “

The link for this is:

[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

In the event where the cost of complying with the request would exceed the
“appropriate level”, which is fixed at £450, as stated in the Freedom of
Information Regulations 2004, it is the policy of the PSNI to close the
request. You will however be notified of this decision and given an
opportunity to refine and resubmit the request.

If your request requires either full or partial transference to another
public authority in order to answer your query, again, you will be
notified.

If you have any queries regarding your request please write to the
Corporate Information Branch vie email or the address below. Please
remember to quote the reference number listed above in any future
communications with the Corporate Information Branch.

If you are dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your request, you
have the right to request a review. You should do this as soon as
possible, or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this
letter. In the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can
do so by writing to the Head of Corporate Information Branch, PSNI
Headquarters, 65 Knock Road, Belfast, BT5 6LE or by emailing
[email address]. 

If, following an Internal Review carried out by an independent decision
maker, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you may
make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office, under Section
50 of the Freedom of Information Act, and ask that they investigate
whether the PSNI has complied with the terms of the Freedom of Information
Act. You can write to the Information Commissioner at ‘Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF’, or use the ICO self-service portal available at
[2]http://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/o...

In most circumstances, the Information Commissioner will not investigate a
complaint unless an internal review procedure has been carried out
however, the Commissioner has the option to investigate the matter at
their discretion.

 

Yours sincerely,

David

FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

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References

Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
2. http://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/o...

Police Service of Northern Ireland

3 Attachments

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

Dear Ms Joan Corrigan,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 16th March
2022 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on  16th
March 2022 concerning:

Police Involvement with abuse in care settings in NI.

Please find attached response to your request.

Kind Regards

Krystie

FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

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Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,

I note that you have used the following:

Section 21 - Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

However, I want to be clear- PSNI staff have stated verbally that PSNI do not get involved in issues of abuse in care settings.

Therefore I am asking the PSNI to NOT send me a link to information, but rather make it clear to me by using information in that link, what exactly is the answer to my questions, as there has been some contradictions.

You can go through the text and copy/ paste what answers my question.

If the PSNI are saying one thing, but sending me a link which says the opposite, I'd prefer an answer, not a link.

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,

May I ask one more FOI please

If PSNI feel that the care regulator or "watchdog" (RQIA) is not fulfilling its obligations , due to incompetence or corruption, and is leaving vulnerable people open to abuse or actually being abused, when does the PSNI step in? (Under what circumsatnces)

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

Police Service of Northern Ireland

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

4th April 2022

Dear Ms Corrigan,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 4th April
2022 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 4th April 2022.  I note you seek access to the following information:

PSNI Stepping In When RQIA Not Fulfilling Obligations

This request will be dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. A response should be sent to you within 20 working
days however I would like to advise you that PSNI are currently
experiencing a delay in the processing of requests and we aim to respond
to your request as soon as possible.

If your request is unclear and clarification is required the 20 day
legislative time limit dictated by the Freedom of Information Act 2000
will be stopped until we receive clarification of your request. The ICO
guidance at paragraph 40 of the link below sets out that the clock begins
anew the day after the clarification is received. It states

“If the requester subsequently provides enough detail to enable the
authority to identify and locate the information, then the authority must
respond to the clarified request within a new 20 working day time limit
with the ‘clock’ starting the day after it receives the required
clarification. “

The link for this is:

[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

In the event where the cost of complying with the request would exceed the
“appropriate level”, which is fixed at £450, as stated in the Freedom of
Information Regulations 2004, it is the policy of the PSNI to close the
request. You will however be notified of this decision and given an
opportunity to refine and resubmit the request.

If your request requires either full or partial transference to another
public authority in order to answer your query, again, you will be
notified.

If you have any queries regarding your request please write to the
Corporate Information Branch vie email or the address below. Please
remember to quote the reference number listed above in any future
communications with the Corporate Information Branch.

If you are dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your request, you
have the right to request a review. You should do this as soon as
possible, or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this
letter. In the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can
do so by writing to the Head of Corporate Information Branch, PSNI
Headquarters, 65 Knock Road, Belfast, BT5 6LE or by emailing
[email address]. 

If, following an Internal Review carried out by an independent decision
maker, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you may
make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office, under Section
50 of the Freedom of Information Act, and ask that they investigate
whether the PSNI has complied with the terms of the Freedom of Information
Act. You can write to the Information Commissioner at ‘Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF’, or use the ICO self-service portal available at
[2]http://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/o...

In most circumstances, the Information Commissioner will not investigate a
complaint unless an internal review procedure has been carried out
however, the Commissioner has the option to investigate the matter at
their discretion.

 

Yours sincerely,

Chris

Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

 

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References

Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
2. http://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/o...

Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,

Also, I you could please clarify, if for example a staff member on the phone gives incorrect information to the public, and that member of the public wants to make a complaint, is there not an internal complaints procudere which can be gone through, as opposed to, as I have been advised in writing by PSNI, taking the somewhat drastic step of going to the police ombudsman. Isn't that a last resort, when all other complaints procedures have been exhuasted?

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

Police Service of Northern Ireland

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

4th April 2022

Dear Ms Corrigan,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 4th April
2022 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 4th April 2022.  I note you seek access to the following information:

PSNI Complaints Procedure

This request will be dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000. A response should be sent to you within 20 working
days however I would like to advise you that PSNI are currently
experiencing a delay in the processing of requests and we aim to respond
to your request as soon as possible.

If your request is unclear and clarification is required the 20 day
legislative time limit dictated by the Freedom of Information Act 2000
will be stopped until we receive clarification of your request. The ICO
guidance at paragraph 40 of the link below sets out that the clock begins
anew the day after the clarification is received. It states

“If the requester subsequently provides enough detail to enable the
authority to identify and locate the information, then the authority must
respond to the clarified request within a new 20 working day time limit
with the ‘clock’ starting the day after it receives the required
clarification. “

The link for this is:

[1]https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...

In the event where the cost of complying with the request would exceed the
“appropriate level”, which is fixed at £450, as stated in the Freedom of
Information Regulations 2004, it is the policy of the PSNI to close the
request. You will however be notified of this decision and given an
opportunity to refine and resubmit the request.

If your request requires either full or partial transference to another
public authority in order to answer your query, again, you will be
notified.

If you have any queries regarding your request please write to the
Corporate Information Branch vie email or the address below. Please
remember to quote the reference number listed above in any future
communications with the Corporate Information Branch.

If you are dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your request, you
have the right to request a review. You should do this as soon as
possible, or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this
letter. In the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can
do so by writing to the Head of Corporate Information Branch, PSNI
Headquarters, 65 Knock Road, Belfast, BT5 6LE or by emailing
[email address]. 

If, following an Internal Review carried out by an independent decision
maker, you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you may
make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office, under Section
50 of the Freedom of Information Act, and ask that they investigate
whether the PSNI has complied with the terms of the Freedom of Information
Act. You can write to the Information Commissioner at ‘Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF’, or use the ICO self-service portal available at
[2]http://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/o...

In most circumstances, the Information Commissioner will not investigate a
complaint unless an internal review procedure has been carried out
however, the Commissioner has the option to investigate the matter at
their discretion.

 

Yours sincerely,

Chris

Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

 

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References

Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisatio...
2. http://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/o...

Police Service of Northern Ireland

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

4th April 2022

Dear Ms Corrigan,

Upon review we have made the decision to aggregate your requests
FOI-2022-00842 and FOI-2022-00843 in to one request for cost purposes.
FOI-2022-00842 will be the new reference number moving forward.

Yours sincerely,

Chris

Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

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Police Service of Northern Ireland

1 Attachment

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

Subject:        FOI-2022-00842
5th April 2022

Dear Ms Corrigan,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 4th April
2022 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on  4th
April 2022 concerning:

PSNI Procedures

Please find attached response to your request.

 

Yours sincerely

Paddy

FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

DD 02890 700 164

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Police Service of Northern Ireland

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

Dear Ms Corrigan,

 

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) states that there is
no right of access to information via FOIA if it is available to the
applicant by another route.  PSNI have complied with Section 1 (1)(a) in
its obligation to confirm or deny if the information is held by them by
providing the links to the information within the public domain and as PDF
attachments. 

 

As the information is available under S21 of the FOIA, PSNI are not
obliged to extract the information from the documents provided as they
have been provided in response to your request. 

 

Therefore, under FOIA this request has been answered.

 

Kind Regards

 

Krystie

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Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,
Ok , understood. However, another answer states that "the best way to make a complaint is to go to the ombudsman". That wasn't what I asked. I asked , is there no internal avenue for complaints against Police officers before the ombudsman. Please answer that.

Secondly, can you at least tell me on which page I can find the answers to my questions which you refuse to copy paste.

Yours faithfully,

Joan Corrigan

Police Service of Northern Ireland

This e-mail has been marked OFFICIAL [PUBLIC];

Dear Ms Corrigan,

 

The first point of complaint for the PSNI is the Police Ombudsman. 

 

For assistance I have provided the below link to the complaints section on
the PSNI website and included the extract below from the relevant page.

 

[1]https://www.psni.police.uk/advice_inform...

 

How to make a complaint

You can make a complaint:

• Online via
their [2]websitehttps://policeombudsman.org/Complaints/E...
• Telephone - please call 0300 123 2989
• Email – [3][email address]
• By post or in person at the following address:

Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland
New Cathedral Buildings
Writers’ Square
11 Church Street
Belfast
BT1 1PG

The Police Ombudsman’s offices are open between 9am and
5pm, Monday to Friday. Please call 0300 123 2989 to make an appointment.

* Telephone calls may be recorded for joint protection, training and other
lawful purposes. 

Please try to give the Police Ombudsman's Office as much information as
you can about the incident you are complaining about, including such
things as:

• the day, time, date and exact location of the incident
• the name, shoulder number and a physical description of the officer(s)
or employee involved
• the name, address and telephone number(s) of any witnesses
• the registration numbers of any vehicles involved in the incident
• any other helpful or relevant evidence, such as photographs or audio
or video footage

You must make your complaint within one year of the incident you are
concerned about.

In special circumstances, the Police Ombudsman can decide to investigate a
complaint about something that happened more than a year before it was
reported to them. This happens when the Police Ombudsman believes the
complaint to be grave or exceptional.

 

With regards to your second query, can I please refer you to your recent
request F-2022-00842.  This information can be located on pages 5-6 of the
Adult Safeguarding document provided and should assist in answering this
request also.

 

Kind Regards

 

Krystie

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