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

20th July 2017

Dear Mr. Whitelaw,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 19th July
2017 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 19th July 2017.  I note you seek access to the following information:

Dog Related Firearm Discharges

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, no later than 17th August 2017. I would like to advise you that PSNI
are currently experiencing a slight delay in the processing of requests
and we aim to respond to your request as soon as possible. The Freedom of
Information team will advise you in writing if there are any delays in
responding to your request and will keep you advised of progress.

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 or contact the
Freedom of Information Team on 028 9070 0164. Please remember to quote the
reference number listed above in any future communications with the
Freedom of Information Team.

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 Freedom of Information, 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 were to remain dissatisfied in any way with the handling of the
request you may make a complaint, under Section 50 of the Freedom of
Information Act, to the Information Commissioner’s Office 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. 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 his discretion.

Yours sincerely,

Jacqui

DP & FOI Unit
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

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References

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

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

Subject:  FOI-2017-02136
5th September 2017

Dear Mr. Whitelaw,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 19th July
2017 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on  19th
July 2017 concerning:

Dog Related Firearm Discharges

Please find attached response to your request.

Yours sincerely,

Eoin

FOI Decision Maker
FOI Unit
PSNI HQ Brooklyn