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Dear Warwickshire Police,

Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information;
Q1. Amount of Officers by rank (Inc Detective ranks) Employed by your organisation.

Q2. Amount of civilians in your organisation (please include Community Support Officers as a separate figure)

Q3. Amount of Officers based in each station

Q4. Amount of Civilians based in each station

Q5. Amount of PCSO's based in each station

Q6. How many police officers are assigned to non-operational departments (i.e. Control Room, Enquiry Offices, Staff Officers.)

Q7. How many police officers are assigned to all operational
departments within your organisation. For example... ( Response & Patrol, Neighbourhoods, Traffic Officers, Investigations etc)

Yours faithfully,

TJ.Roberts

Information Compliance,

 
Dear Mr Roberts
 
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 10731
 
I write in connection with your request for Warwickshire Police
information which was dated 25th November 2018 and received on 26th
November 2018.
 
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 Warwickshire Police 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 chose 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.
 
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or telephone the Information Compliance Unit quoting the reference number
above.
 
Yours sincerely
 
 
 
Information Compliance Administrator
Information Compliance Unit
Warwickshire Police & West Mercia Police
P O Box 55
Hindlip  WR3 8SP
 
DD 01905 331545 (Ext. 2545)
 
 

Information Compliance,

Dear Mr Roberts

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NOs:  West Mercia Police 10747
and Warwickshire Police 10731

I write in connection with your requests for information which were
received on 26^th November 2018.  Please find below the responses to your
requests for West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police information:

Q1. Amount of Officers by rank (Inc Detective ranks) Employed by your
organisation.

Q2. Amount of civilians in your organisation (please include Community
Support Officers as a separate figure)

Q3. Amount of Officers based in each station

Q4. Amount of Civilians based in each station

Q5. Amount of PCSO's based in each station

Q6. How many police officers are assigned to non-operational departments
(i.e. Control Room, Enquiry Offices, Staff Officers.)

Q7. How many police officers are assigned to all operational departments
within your organisation. For example... ( Response & Patrol,
Neighbourhoods, Traffic Officers, Investigations etc)

 

 

 

REPLY:

 

West Mercia Police 10747

Warwickshire Police 10731

Q1 & Q2

This information is included on the Gov.UK website. The report can be
found on the following link:

 

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics...

 

As this information is already reasonably accessible to you, it is exempt
from disclosure under section 21(1) of the Freedom of Information Act
2000. 

 

Q3 & Q5

Your request for information has now been considered and I am not obliged
to supply the all the information that you have requested

Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires West Mercia
Police and Warwickshire Police, when refusing to provide such information
(because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with 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.

 

The information you have requested is exempt from disclosure under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000. The exemption applicable in this case is
as follows:

 

Section 31 (1) Law Enforcement

 

In considering whether or not this information should be disclosed, I have
considered the potential harm that could be caused by disclosure.

If officer and PCSO’s staffing levels at each station were released into
the public domain there could potentially be substantial harm to the
Police Service, as it could inhibit its ability to fulfill its core
functions. The release of operational data would furnish individuals or
groups having the necessary intent to disrupt police activity with the
necessary information to effectively do just that, thereby hindering
future operational activity.

This would consequently increase the capability for criminals, including
extremist networks, to target innocent members of the public. Any release
of information that would be likely to prejudice a police services'
ability to prevent and/or detect crime could only be viewed as being
harmful to members of the public.

The aim of the Freedom of Information Act is to make government bodies
more open and transparent. Releasing officers and PCSO numbers at each
station would make the Alliance openly accountable for officer staffing
levels, proving police deploy their resources in the most suitable manner
with the numbers available. But this will only be done if it would not
cause harm to the service or the communities that we serve.

 

Factors Favouring Disclosure

The information requested relates to the efficiency and effectiveness of
the Alliance. Regarding your request, forces may be obliged to prove to
the general public they are actively involved in initiatives to reduce
crime, thus ensuring public safety and confidence on these specific dates.
The release of the requested information would demonstrate to the public
the measures taken by the police to utilise resources where and when they
are believed by the public to be most needed at each station.

 

Factors Favouring Non Disclosure

However, to release the requested information about staffing levels at
each station could prevent the Alliance from preventing and detecting
crime, as well as hinder our ability to apprehend offenders.

Information regarding police staffing levels is a valuable commodity to
individuals (and/ or organisations) wishing to commit crime, as it
provides an insight into tactics and resources available to the Alliance.
Therefore, those seeking to commit criminality could counter any future
policing tactics and elude justice. This will ultimately have a
detrimental impact on innocent members of the public living or traveling
within the Alliance.

The publication of the number of officers and PCSOs at each station within
the Alliance could lead to those with criminal intentions taking
'informed' steps to counter policing, thereby potentially reducing police
effectiveness.

Releasing the requested information regarding staffing levels could leave
the Alliance vulnerable to criminals utilising the information for
malicious intent, including potential terrorist threats. This could lead
to an increase in crime if offenders believed they were less likely to be
apprehended in the future. This is particularly the case if they obtained
the information for various police force locations, enabling them to 'map'
periods of officer deployment over the areas.

As crime prevention/ detection is in the 'public's interest', any release
of information which would be likely to prejudice our ability to prevent
and/ or detect crime could only be viewed as being harmful to the public
interest.

Balancing Test

After weighing up the competing interests I have determined that the
disclosure of the above information would not be in the public interest. I
consider that the benefit that would result from the information being
disclosed does not outweigh disclosing information relating to the number
of officers deployed on these specific dates.

 

Therefore, this information is exempt under s31 The Freedom of Information
Act 2000.

Q4

 

West Mercia Police Civilians

 

Emp
Type
With
Home CSO
Force Split Location Total
West
Mercia Police
Police Staff Bedworth 2
    Blackpole 13
    Bridgnorth 1
    Bromsgrove 4
    Defford 36
    Droitwich 39
    Hereford 63
    Hindlip 853
    Kidderminster 63
Leamington
    Spa 14
    Ledbury 1
    Leek Wootton 9
    Leominster 3
    Ludlow 1
    Malinsgate 6
    Malvern 143
    Nuneaton 2
    Redditch 22
    Redwood House 5
    Rubery 3
    Rugby 2
Ryton on
    Dunsmore 1
    Shrewsbury 100
    Shropshire 3
    Stourport 3
    Stratford 13
    Telford 101
    Warrington 1
    Warwick 1
    Warwick MASH 3
    Warwickshire 1
    Wellington 7
    Wem 1
West Midlands
    Police 7
    Wildwood 25
    Worcester 91
Police
Staff
  Total   1643

 

Warwickshire Police Civilians

Emp
Type
With
CSO
Home Force Split Location Total
Warwickshire Police
Police Staff Alcester 1
    Atherstone 1
    Barford 2
    Bedworth 33
    Defford 9
    Greys 1
    Hereford 1
    Hindlip 137
    Kidderminster 3
Leamington
    Spa 96
    Leek Wootton 141
    Malinsgate 1
    Malvern 12
    Nuneaton 53
    Redditch 1
    Rugby 101
Ryton on
    Dunsmore 1
    Stourport 2
    Stratford 72
    Telford 3
    Warwick 9
    Warwick MASH 20
    Warwickshire 2
    Wellington 1
West Midlands
    Police 7
    Wildwood 1
    Worcester 3
Police
Staff
  Total   714

 

Q6

West Mercia Police - 104

 

Warwickshire Police - 58

 

 

Q7

West Mercia Police  - 1819

 

Warwickshire Police - 737

 

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as
accurate as possible.

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

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or telephone the Information Compliance Unit quoting the reference number
above.

Yours sincerely

 

Victoria Lewis

Information Compliance Unit
Warwickshire Police & West Mercia Police

PO Box 55

Hindlip

Worcester

WR3 8SP

01905 331545 / 331565 / 331559

 

 

West Mercia Police in complying with their statutory duty under sections 1
and 11 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed
information 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 The Force Solicitor, West Mercia Police
Headquarters, PO Box 55, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SP.

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 West Mercia Police (WMP) to review their
decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the person 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
contact the person named 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
WMP made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information, you can lodge a complaint with WMP to have the
decision reviewed. WMP must be notified of your intention to complain
within 20 working days of the date of its response to your Freedom of
Information request. Complaints should be made in writing and addressed
to:

West Mercia Police Headquarters

Information Compliance Unit

Hindlip Hall

Hindlip

PO Box 55

Worcester

WR3 8SP

or

Email:  [email address]

In all possible circumstances, WMP will aim to respond to your complaint
within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with WMP 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 https://ico.org.uk/ Alternatively, phone or
write to:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545745 if you prefer to use a
national rate number

Fax:     01625 524 510

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Visible links
1. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics...