Development and use of digital decision tools for policing and law enforcement

Adam Harkens made this Freedom of Information request to Lancashire Constabulary as part of a batch sent to 30 authorities Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.

The request was refused by Lancashire Constabulary.

Dear Lancashire Constabulary,

I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to make a request for information relating to your organisation’s development and/or use of digital decision tools for policing and law enforcement.

By digital decision tools, I mean any technology that uses software algorithms to process digital data and generate outputs either to (a) *support* policing decisions, by providing information or recommendations to a human police officer, who retains discretion in making the final decision; or (b) *automatically* trigger a policing or law enforcement decision based on the generated output(s).

By ‘policing and law enforcement decisions’, I mean any decisions taken by police officers in carrying out their duties to detect and prevent crime, to protect the public and reduce harm, to maintain public order, to enforce the law, and to bring offenders to justice. This may include (but is not limited to) decisions concerning the imposition of enforcement notices (e.g., speeding fines), case/complaints-handling, resource allocation, criminal investigations (particularly those concerning whether to pursue inquiries in relation to specific persons, and what action(s) to take, such as arrest or questioning, stop and search etc.), and decisions made at the pre-trial stage about individuals, including detention and charging decisions.

EXAMPLE TOOLS OF INTEREST

To help with my inquiry, examples of the kinds of tools I am requesting information on include:

1. *Digital dashboards*: any tool which processes and organises data sets to generate data visualisations to assist policing work. For example, they might provide information about ongoing and/or recently reported incidents, the analysis of crime patterns, workload and resource allocation, and data shared with public agencies such as the emergency services. These dashboards might, for instance, be used to improve emergency response times, assist officer decision-making, resource management, and so on. For example, Qliksense.

2. *Individual risk assessment tools*: any tool which processes data to generate predictions about the ‘risk’ posed by an individual relating to an undesirable outcome, such as their risk of committing a serious violent crime in the future, risk of general recidivism, risk of self-harm, or risk of becoming a victim of harm. For example, the London Gangs Matrix or the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (‘HART’) that has previously been used by Durham Constabulary.

3. *Geospatial crime ‘hotspot’ mapping tools*: any tool which processes historical crime data to identify patterns indicating potential crime ‘hotspot’ areas (i.e., geographical locations where crime is predicted to be most likely to occur within a given time period). For example, PredPol.

4. *Automated biometric analysis tools* (including live facial recognition systems): any tool which processes biometric data for the purposes of identifying individuals ‘of interest’ (i.e., according to s.205 of the Data Protection Act 2018: biometric data is data relating to the physical, physiological, or behavioural characteristics of a person, such as facial images, fingerprints, or retina scanning). For example, NeoFace Watch.

5. *Any other tool to assist policing and law enforcement work*: any other tool that uses software algorithms to generate outputs to help inform policing decisions made by your organisation, or to automatically trigger decisions based on those outputs (e.g., Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, social network analysis, case ‘solvability’ analysis, and so on).

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SPECIFIC INFORMATION REQUESTED

My specific information requests are listed and numbered below.

To help reduce the resources needed to respond to my numbered requests, you may limit your detailed responses to *ten* tools, and then simply list the name(s) and policy purpose(s) of any other tools.

If your organisation has deployed and/or developed *ten or fewer* tools in total (including those currently deployed, in development, being piloted or formerly developed or piloted but never deployed), please skip straight to the numbered requests below.

If your organisation has deployed and/or is developing (or has developed) *more* than ten tools in total, please follow the guidance below to identify which ten tools to provide information about, in response to the numbered requests:

● If *more* than ten tools have been deployed for *operational* use by your organisation, please respond to the numbered requests for the ten *most recently* deployed (including those no longer in use) and merely list the name(s) and policy purpose(s) for any other tools that have been deployed or developed (including ones currently in development);

● If your organisation has deployed *fewer* than ten tools for operational use (or none at all), please respond to the numbered requests in relation to any other tools that your organisation is (or was formerly) *developing or piloting,* until you have reached a total of ten tools. Again, please respond for those tools *most recently* put into development or piloted until you reach the limit of ten tools in total, and then simply list the name(s) and policy purpose(s) for any remaining tools.

FOR EACH RELEVANT TOOL (UP TO TEN IN TOTAL), CAN YOU PLEASE:

1. Supply the *name(s)* of each tool, including any tool(s) which are no longer used (or were developed and/or piloted but never deployed).

2. Please specify the stage of maturity of each tool in terms of the following three possibilities (i) currently in operational use or formerly deployed for operational use (ii) currently under development or was developed in the past but never deployed (iii) currently being piloted or was piloted in the past, but never deployed.

3. Explain the *reason(s)* why your organisation decided to develop and/or deploy each tool, including the intended *policy purpose(s)* of the tool (e.g., to reduce criminal offending by aiming to improve the identification of potential victims of a criminal offence or to identify individuals ‘of interest’ to police, using the automated analysis of digital data).

4. Identify the data sources used as ‘inputs’ to the tool and indicate whether this data has been collected from internal police data sources (e.g., crime data), external public-sector data sources (e.g., data held by local authorities), or external data sources made available by private-sector organisations (e.g., mobile communications data). Please further indicate whether the tool is updated with new data on a manual basis, by a human user responsible for inputting data (including how frequently this usually occurs), or if it is updated on a real-time basis using an automated live data feed.

5. Identify the *output(s)* that each tool produces/produced in order to serve its intended policy purpose, and what these outputs are taken to *indicate or signify.* For example: an individual risk assessment tool may produce a ‘risk classification’ for each assessed person (e.g., ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low risk’). What is it, specifically, that each person is at ‘high risk’ or ‘low risk’ of, in this scenario (e.g., being arrested under suspicion of having committed a serious offence within the next two years)?

6. Indicate the kind(s) of *decision(s)* each tool supports/supported or triggers/triggered and about *whom or what*? For example: who to stop and search? Where to send police patrols? Should an arrested person be retained in police custody?

7. Identify the *intended user(s)* of each tool. For example: does/did the tool provide information to a front-line officer on patrol, a duty officer in a custody suite, both, or someone else?

8. *List* and provide electronic copies of any *additional documents* or information relating to each tool, including:
● Any training manuals or materials for staff, promotional materials, briefing papers, reports, or records of performance evaluations and other technical documents that provide overviews or summary information about each tool.
● Any impact assessments (e.g., data protection or human rights impact assessments), or risk assessments, that have been undertaken in relation to the tool or tools indicated.
● Any legal documents relating to the assessment or statement of the legal authorisation/legal basis for using each tool.

FOR TOOLS *CURRENTLY* OR *FORMERLY* IN OPERATIONAL USE ONLY, CAN YOU PLEASE:

9. Please indicate whether in relation to each tool, users receive any *training* about tool-use, indicating what that training consists (or consisted) of, who provides this training (including whether this is in-house or external), and who receives training.

10. Indicate the *time-period* during which each tool was, or had been, in operational use, identifying the *date(s)* when each tool was first deployed (and when its use was ended, if applicable).

11. If your organisation later decided to *stop* the tool’s operational use, can you please further explain your reason(s) for doing so, and indicate when that decision was made?

FOR TOOLS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT OR PILOTING (OR FORMERLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT OR PILOTED, BUT NEVER DEPLOYED) ONLY, CAN YOU PLEASE:

12. Indicate the *time period* during which development or piloting for each tool took place/has been taking place, including when development or the pilot began, the *expected/planned launch date* for tools still under development, and whether the launch will be on a pilot basis or for operational use.

13. If your organisation later decided to *abandon the development* of a tool or decided *not to deploy* that tool for operational use following a pilot period, can you please further explain your reason(s) for doing so, and indicate when that decision was made.

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If my request is too wide or unclear, I would be grateful for your advice and assistance, under s.16 of the FOIA 2000, explaining why so that I can refine and clarify my request. If any of the information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, using URLs and page references if necessary.

If the release of any of the information requested is legally prohibited on the grounds of breach of confidence, I ask that you supply me with copies of the confidentiality agreement.
I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

Yours faithfully and with thanks,

Dr. Adam Harkens

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being
exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

 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.

 Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 Regards,

 FOI Team

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413329/413203/412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

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FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

1 Attachment

‘FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NUMBER: 2128/22

 

I wish to advise you that the following exemption is engaged in relation
to your request:

 

Section 31 Law Enforcement.

 

By virtue of Section 31(1)(b), where public authorities have to consider
the balance of the public interest in relation to a request, they do not
have to comply with the request until such times as is reasonable in the
circumstances.

 

This is a qualified exemption and there is a requirement to conduct a
public interest test. I am obliged to consult with all stakeholders who
may be affected by me complying with your request.

 

Upon completion of this process I am then required to ascertain where the
balance in compliance with both my duty to confirm or deny what
information exists and/or in disclosure of any relevant information.

 

This process is ongoing, and when considering these matters I am entitled
to extend the deadline for complying with your request.

 

Unfortunately, this does mean that the Lancashire Constabulary will not be
able to respond to your request in full within 20 working days of the
original receipt.

 

The new estimated date for compliance will be 24/08/22.

 

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request an internal review of our
decision, you should write to the Data Protection Office, Police
Headquarters, Saunders Lane, Hutton, Preston PR4 5SB or alternatively send
an email to [1][email address].

 

If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
Information Commissioner’s Office cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted the complaints procedure provided by Lancashire Constabulary.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9
5AF. Additional information may be located on the ICO’s guidance pages;
[2]https://ico.org.uk/

 

Robin Parker –  11582

Information Access Officer 

HQ – Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Website: [3]www.lancashire.police.uk 

 

[4]Description: cid:image001.jpg@01D4BEC3.E9F38DA0 

 

Personal Data Matters – Let’s Get it Right!

 

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2. https://ico.org.uk/
3. http://www.lancashire.police.uk/

Dear Lancashire Constabulary,

I am getting in touch with reference to your email dated 25th July 2022]. You informed me that I would receive a further response to my freedom of information request by 24th August 2022.

I have not received any further response since the initial extension, and the indicated date has passed. May I please as for a status update on this?

With thanks,

Dr. Adam Harkens

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being
exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

 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.

 Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 Regards,

 FOI Team

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413329/413203/412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

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1. mailto:[email address]

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

1 Attachment

Good afternoon Mr Harkens,

 

Please accept our apologies for the delay in responding to your Freedom of
Information Request. We are currently experiencing unprecedented high
volumes of work and as such responses can, at times, be delayed.

 

I am sorry if this has caused you any inconvenience.

Please be assured that I have chased  up your request and shall ensure
that we provide a response as soon as possible.

 

Should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to get back in
touch.

 

Kind Regards

 

Rebecca

 

Information Access Team

HQ – Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 413329

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

Personal Data Matters – Let’s Get it Right!

 

 

 

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FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

3 Attachments

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 2128/22

Please find attached Lancashire Constabulary’s response to your recent
request for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 

Information Access Team

HQ – Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 413329

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

 

Personal Data Matters – Let’s Get it Right!

 

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Dear Lancashire Police,

Many thanks for taking the time to consider my request.

Based on your response, I would like to present a refined version of my request for your consideration (below this email).

To summarise, my refinements include:

- Removal of my request for “electronic copies of any *additional documents* or information relating to each tool.” This request may be particularly onerous in terms of time needed to comply.

- Limiting the scope of my request to those tools that are *currently in operation only*, again with a view to reducing the time required to identify, locate, and extract the relevant information. You can limit the number of tools to ten, chosen on the basis of those that have *most recently been deployed.* This will reduce the number of tools within scope, and remove the need for you to respond to requests 11 and 12.

- Limitation of the scope of my request to the *last five years.*

- A significant reduction in the scope of example tools, to now focus on individual risk assessment tools, geospatial hotspot mapping tools, automated biometric analysis tools ONLY (i.e., no general request for other tools nor digital dashboards).

In case it helps, other forces have found it useful to reply using a simple table which sets out their responses on a tool-by-tool basis. An example table is available here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/8...

I hope that my suggestions can help us to find a productive compromise, and I appreciate the time you have taken to consider and respond to my request. Please can you let me know if you find these suggestions to be suitable, and provide me with an update on the status of my request as a result? I look forward to hearing from you.

With thanks and best wishes,

Adam

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I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to make a request for information relating to your organisation’s development and/or use of digital decision tools for policing and law enforcement.

By digital decision tools, I mean any technology that uses software algorithms to process digital data and generate outputs either to (a) *support* policing decisions, by providing information or recommendations to a human police officer, who retains discretion in making the final decision; or (b) *automatically* trigger a policing or law enforcement decision based on the generated output(s).

By ‘policing and law enforcement decisions’, I mean any decisions taken by police officers in carrying out their duties to detect and prevent crime, to protect the public and reduce harm, to maintain public order, to enforce the law, and to bring offenders to justice. This may include (but is not limited to) decisions concerning the imposition of enforcement notices (e.g., speeding fines), case/complaints-handling, resource allocation, criminal investigations (particularly those concerning whether to pursue inquiries in relation to specific persons, and what action(s) to take, such as arrest or questioning, stop and search etc.), and decisions made at the pre-trial stage about individuals, including detention and charging decisions.

EXAMPLE TOOLS OF INTEREST

To help with my inquiry, examples of the kinds of tools I am requesting information on tools including:

1. *Individual risk assessment tools*: any tool which processes data to generate predictions about the ‘risk’ posed by an individual relating to an undesirable outcome, such as their risk of committing a serious violent crime in the future, risk of general recidivism, risk of self-harm, or risk of becoming a victim of harm. For example, the London Gangs Matrix or the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (‘HART’) that has previously been used by Durham Constabulary.

2. *Geospatial crime ‘hotspot’ mapping tools*: any tool which processes historical crime data to identify patterns indicating potential crime ‘hotspot’ areas (i.e., geographical locations where crime is predicted to be most likely to occur within a given time period). For example, PredPol.

3. *Automated biometric analysis tools* (including live facial recognition systems): any tool which processes biometric data for the purposes of identifying individuals ‘of interest’ (i.e., according to s.205 of the Data Protection Act 2018: biometric data is data relating to the physical, physiological, or behavioural characteristics of a person, such as facial images, fingerprints, or retina scanning). For example, NeoFace Watch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPECIFIC INFORMATION REQUESTED

My specific information requests are listed and numbered below. Please provide information related to tools by your police force.

To help reduce the resources needed to respond to my numbered requests, you may limit your responses to *ten* tools.
If your organisation has deployed *ten or fewer* tools in total (including those currently deployed, in development, being piloted or formerly developed or piloted but never deployed), please skip straight to the numbered requests below.

If your organisation has deployed and/or is developing (or has developed) *more* than ten tools in total, please respond to the numbered requests for the ten *most recently* deployed;

FOR EACH RELEVANT TOOL (UP TO TEN IN TOTAL), CAN YOU PLEASE:
1. Supply the *name(s)* of each tool.

2. Explain the *reason(s)* why your organisation decided to develop and/or deploy each tool, including the intended *policy purpose(s)* of the tool (e.g., to reduce criminal offending by aiming to improve the identification of potential victims of a criminal offence or to identify individuals ‘of interest’ to police, using the automated analysis of digital data).

3. Identify the data sources used as ‘inputs’ to the tool and indicate whether this data has been collected from internal police data sources (e.g., crime data), external public-sector data sources (e.g., data held by local authorities), or external data sources made available by private-sector organisations (e.g., mobile communications data). Please further indicate whether the tool is updated with new data on a manual basis, by a human user responsible for inputting data (including how frequently this usually occurs), or if it is updated on a real-time basis using an automated live data feed.

4. Identify the *output(s)* that each tool produces/produced in order to serve its intended policy purpose, and what these outputs are taken to *indicate or signify.* For example: an individual risk assessment tool may produce a ‘risk classification’ for each assessed person (e.g., ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low risk’). What is it, specifically, that each person is at ‘high risk’ or ‘low risk’ of, in this scenario (e.g., being arrested under suspicion of having committed a serious offence within the next two years)?

5. Indicate the kind(s) of *decision(s)* each tool supports/supported or triggers/triggered and about *whom or what*? For example: who to stop and search? Where to send police patrols? Should an arrested person be retained in police custody?

6. Identify the *intended user(s)* of each tool. For example: does/did the tool provide information to a front-line officer on patrol, a duty officer in a custody suite, both, or someone else?

7. Please indicate whether in relation to each tool, users receive any *training* about tool-use, indicating what that training consists (or consisted) of, who provides this training (including whether this is in-house or external), and who receives training.

8. Indicate the *date(s)* when each tool was first deployed (and when its use was ended, if applicable).

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being
exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

 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.

 Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 Regards,

 FOI Team

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413329/413203/412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

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FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

1 Attachment

Good afternoon,

 

Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information department with your
amendment to request number 2128/22.

 

As this will now be logged as a new (refined) request could we please ask
that you submit your new request in full so that there are no confusions
as to what information you are requesting?

 

Kind Regards,

 

Rebecca

 

Information Access Team

HQ – Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

 

Tel: 01772 413329

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

Personal Data Matters – Let’s Get it Right!

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear Lancashire Constabulary,

Many thanks for your response - that is no problem. My refined request is as follows:

I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to make a request for information relating to your organisation’s development and/or use of digital decision tools for policing and law enforcement.

By digital decision tools, I mean any technology that uses software algorithms to process digital data and generate outputs either to (a) *support* policing decisions, by providing information or recommendations to a human police officer, who retains discretion in making the final decision; or (b) *automatically* trigger a policing or law enforcement decision based on the generated output(s).

By ‘policing and law enforcement decisions’, I mean any decisions taken by police officers in carrying out their duties to detect and prevent crime, to protect the public and reduce harm, to maintain public order, to enforce the law, and to bring offenders to justice. This may include (but is not limited to) decisions concerning the imposition of enforcement notices (e.g., speeding fines), case/complaints-handling, resource allocation, criminal investigations (particularly those concerning whether to pursue inquiries in relation to specific persons, and what action(s) to take, such as arrest or questioning, stop and search etc.), and decisions made at the pre-trial stage about individuals, including detention and charging decisions.

EXAMPLE TOOLS OF INTEREST

To help with my inquiry, examples of the kinds of tools I am requesting information on tools including:

1. *Individual risk assessment tools*: any tool which processes data to generate predictions about the ‘risk’ posed by an individual relating to an undesirable outcome, such as their risk of committing a serious violent crime in the future, risk of general recidivism, risk of self-harm, or risk of becoming a victim of harm. For example, the London Gangs Matrix or the Harm Assessment Risk Tool (‘HART’) that has previously been used by Durham Constabulary.

2. *Geospatial crime ‘hotspot’ mapping tools*: any tool which processes historical crime data to identify patterns indicating potential crime ‘hotspot’ areas (i.e., geographical locations where crime is predicted to be most likely to occur within a given time period). For example, PredPol.

3. *Automated biometric analysis tools* (including live facial recognition systems): any tool which processes biometric data for the purposes of identifying individuals ‘of interest’ (i.e., according to s.205 of the Data Protection Act 2018: biometric data is data relating to the physical, physiological, or behavioural characteristics of a person, such as facial images, fingerprints, or retina scanning). For example, NeoFace Watch.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPECIFIC INFORMATION REQUESTED

My specific information requests are listed and numbered below. Please provide information related to tools by your police force.

To help reduce the resources needed to respond to my numbered requests, you may limit your responses to *ten* tools. If your organisation has deployed *more* than ten tools in total, please respond to the numbered requests for the ten *most recently* deployed;

FOR EACH RELEVANT TOOL (UP TO TEN IN TOTAL), CAN YOU PLEASE:
1. Supply the *name(s)* of each tool.

2. Explain the *reason(s)* why your organisation decided to develop and/or deploy each tool, including the intended *policy purpose(s)* of the tool (e.g., to reduce criminal offending by aiming to improve the identification of potential victims of a criminal offence or to identify individuals ‘of interest’ to police, using the automated analysis of digital data).

3. Identify the data sources used as ‘inputs’ to the tool and indicate whether this data has been collected from internal police data sources (e.g., crime data), external public-sector data sources (e.g., data held by local authorities), or external data sources made available by private-sector organisations (e.g., mobile communications data). Please further indicate whether the tool is updated with new data on a manual basis, by a human user responsible for inputting data (including how frequently this usually occurs), or if it is updated on a real-time basis using an automated live data feed.

4. Identify the *output(s)* that each tool produces/produced in order to serve its intended policy purpose, and what these outputs are taken to *indicate or signify.* For example: an individual risk assessment tool may produce a ‘risk classification’ for each assessed person (e.g., ‘high’, ‘medium’ or ‘low risk’). What is it, specifically, that each person is at ‘high risk’ or ‘low risk’ of, in this scenario (e.g., being arrested under suspicion of having committed a serious offence within the next two years)?

5. Indicate the kind(s) of *decision(s)* each tool supports/supported or triggers/triggered and about *whom or what*? For example: who to stop and search? Where to send police patrols? Should an arrested person be retained in police custody?

6. Identify the *intended user(s)* of each tool. For example: does/did the tool provide information to a front-line officer on patrol, a duty officer in a custody suite, both, or someone else?

7. Please indicate whether in relation to each tool, users receive any *training* about tool-use, indicating what that training consists (or consisted) of, who provides this training (including whether this is in-house or external), and who receives training.

8. Indicate the *date(s)* when each tool was first deployed (and when its use was ended, if applicable).

With thanks and best wishes,

Adam

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being
exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

 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.

 Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 Regards,

 FOI Team

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413329/413203/412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

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Lancashire Constabulary FOI Team,

Dear Adam Harkens

I write to you with regards to your Freedom of Information request which
we received on 12th October, reference FOI2022/00069

Upon reading your request are you please able to clarify what you mean by…

Could you please confirm what area of the Police Force you are wanting the
information of ten tools from?

If this request is for ten tools from each department within the force
this would cause the request to fall under the same exemption as your
previous request.

I hope this may seek to assist you as per my duty under section 16 of the
act.

The 'clock' counting down the 20 working day protocol for disclosure will
be stopped until clarification has been received from yourself. I.e.
clarification has been sought on day 01 , therefore when clarification has
been received we shall still have 20 working days to deal with your
request.

Please note that if we do not receive any clarification from you be
advised that your request will be closed with no further action after 60
working days.

If there is anything further you would like to discuss, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

Please respond to the email address below.

Kind regards

Information Access Team

HQ - Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 412144 / 413203 / 413050

Email: [1][email address]

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Dear Lancashire Constabulary,

Thanks for you reply.

I am not asking for this information from each individual department of the force - but rather the force as a whole.

If necessary, I can specify particular areas of the force, in order to narrow the request further - however I do not have information which breaks down the force into its respective areas. If you need further refinement, could I ask what you mean by areas? And what these areas may be?

Thanks,

Adam

FOI, Lancashire Constabulary

If you are emailing a valid Freedom of Information request please treat
this as a formal acknowledgement.

 Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, known hereafter as ‘the Act’. You should receive a
response within the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined in
the Act (from when Lancashire Constabulary receive a valid request).

 Please note that disclosure is subject to the information not being
exempt or containing a reference to a third party.

 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.

 Lancashire Constabulary is committed to ensuring that all services it
provides are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. If
you find the web-site or a document difficult to access please notify us
so that we can assist.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

 Regards,

 FOI Team

Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 413329/413203/412144

Email: [1][email address]

 

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Lancashire Constabulary FOI Team,

1 Attachment

Dear Adam Harkens

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO : FOI2022/00069

Please find attached Lancashire Constabulary's response to your recent
request for information made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in
Lancashire Constabulary.

Please direct any queries to the email address below.

Kind regards

Information Access Team

HQ - Data Protection Office

Lancashire Constabulary Headquarters

Tel: 01772 412144 / 413203 / 413050

Email: [1][email address]

References

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1. mailto:[email address]