M6 Protestors

The request was successful.

Dear Warwickshire Police,

On Sunday 7th June 2020 around 7pm there was an invasion of the M6 motorway near by junction 2 by a group of protestors,

Can you please confirm the following:

1: How many M6 protestors were arrested?

2: Were any cautions issued?

3: Did police take the details of any of the protestors?

4: Were any of the drivers who were in vehicles and part of the protest arrested or served notice for possible prosecution for motoring offences?

Yours faithfully,

P. Cook

@ Freedom of Information, Warwickshire Police

Dear P Cook

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST

I write in connection with your request for information received on 8^th
June 2020.

In order to be able to respond to your request I require further
information from you. Please would you clarify:-

 

 

Your full name as one of the FOI legal requirements for applications is
that the applicant provides their ‘real name’.

 

                                                                         
                                                                     

After receiving your reply, your request will then be considered and you
will receive the information requested within the statutory timescale of
20 working days as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject
to the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party.

However, if the requested additional information has not been received by
15^th June 2020 I will assume you no longer wish to proceed with this
request and will treat it as withdrawn.

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 a payment then your request will remain
unanswered.

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

Yours sincerely

PC 1825 Baugh

Information Compliance Office
Warwickshire Police

Rugby Police Station
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV21 2DH

 

 

 

 

Dear @ Freedom of Information,

I have done several FOI requests before however not with your organisation, I have never been asked to clarify my full name before, the P.Cook is preset by my profile settings that I will look at changing, I can confirm my name is Mr Paul Cook and look forward to recieving the information that I have requested

Yours sincerely,

Paul Cook

@ Freedom of Information, Warwickshire Police

Dear Mr Cook

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO:  141-2020

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
on 9^th June 2020.  Your request will now be considered in accordance with
the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”).

 

We will aim to provide a response to your request within 20 working days
as stipulated by the Act.  We are currently receiving an unprecedented
number of subject access and FOI requests and for the foreseeable future
we are triaging and addressing requests in the following order:  Subject
access and then FOI requests.   Every effort will be made to meet our
statutory timescales for responding.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

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 be
withdrawn.

 

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
contact the Information Compliance Unit quoting the reference number
above.

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

PC 1825 Baugh

 

Dear @ Freedom of Information,

I note you responded to my initial FOI with regards to my full name, 14 days have now passed since then and I have still had no update, I know you have 20 working days to respond however I am reliably informed you have the information that I have requested readily available, I hoe that you can provide it asap and not wait until the last day. of the complience.

Yours sincerely,

Paul Cook

@ Freedom of Information, Warwickshire Police

Dear Mr Cook

Thank you for your email.

It is not possible to say whether a response will be available before the 20 working day time period is reached; however, please be assured that an appropriate response will be sent at the earliest opportunity.

Kind regards

Freedom of Information
Warwickshire Police

show quoted sections

Dear Warwickshire Police,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Warwickshire Police's handling of my FOI request 'M6 Protestors'.

My request for information is now over the 20 day period and I have not been informed of any delay, I am also of the opinion that the information I asked for is readily accessible and I am of the belief the information is being deliberately held back which I suggested would be the case in my email dated 23/06/20, incidentally the police reply to the email I just mentioned was “please be assured that an appropriate response will be sent at the earliest opportunity”

I will also point out the day after I submitted the FOI I was contacted by a PC 1825 Baugh stating
"Your full name as one of the FOI legal requirements for applications is that the applicant provides their ‘real name’"
I have looked into this and what PC Baugh stated is wrong, I was using P.Cook which is a perfectly acceptable format, I quote below the Information Commissioner’s Office:

"Any variation of the requester’s title or first name combined with their surname (e.g. Mr Smith or John Smith) will be sufficient to meet this requirement. However, a first name or surname provided in isolation, or a set of initials, will not”
Example
“A requester named Robert Jones could call themselves ‘Rob Jones’, ‘Bobby Jones’, ‘R Jones’, ‘Bob Jones’ or ‘Mr Jones’. However, they could not just use ‘Robert’, ‘Bob’, ‘Bobby’ or ‘R.J’."
So not only is my request delayed without any reason given the officer dealing with it has gave me wrong information and requested I provide my full name when I had already fully complied legally within the guidelines.”

To summarise please provide the information immediately that I have requested and provide an explanation to why it was late, and can you please confirm that your FOI staff are given a reminder or refresher training as to what is acceptable in a request regarding the requesters name format.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m...

Yours faithfully,

P. Cook

@ Freedom of Information, Warwickshire Police

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Cook

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 141-2020

 

Thank you for your email dated 5^th July 2020, received by Warwickshire
Police today; 6^th July 2020. 

 

I note your comments regarding our request made to you on 9^th June asking
for your ‘full name’, this was an administration error on our part and
please accept my most sincere apologies for the inconvenience this has
caused you.

 

I further note that you are requesting an Internal Review of the handling
of your request due to the response being overdue; however, Section 10 of
the Freedom of Information Act states:

 

Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a public authority must comply with
section 1(1) promptly and in any event not later than the twentieth
working day following the date of receipt.

 

I can advise that your original request was dated Sunday 7^th June 2020
and, since this was a non-working day, received by Warwickshire Police on
Monday 8^th June 2020.  The twentieth working day following the 8^th June
2020 is today’s date and please find the Warwickshire Police response
attached for your attention.

 

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, Warwickshire Police
will always confirm that information is held and will release such
information, unless an exemption(s) applies.  Every effort is always made
to provide a response to requests as soon as possible; however,
information is not always held centrally, nor in an easily accessible
format, meaning that enquiries need to be made with various departments
and individuals which, at times, results in responses taking longer.   

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Rachel Mumford

Freedom of Information Officer

Freedom of Information Unit

Warwickshire Police

email: [1][email address]

 

Not protectively marked

 

References

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1. mailto:[email address]

Dear Warwickshire Police,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Warwickshire Police's handling of my FOI request 'M6 Protestors'.

I am off the belief that the FOI request information has deliberately been withheld until the very last day, I did suspect that this was always going to be the case and even mentioned it in an earlier email (23/06/20) regarding this request, I believe the deliberate delaying of such information was avoidable given your FOI office said in reply to me om the (23/06/20) stated "please be assured that an appropriate response will be sent at the earliest opportunity" now given that on the 8th June 2020 the Coventry Telegraph ran this comment in a story about the M6 invasion:

"Warwickshire Police has today told Coventry Live that despite the hold-up, no arrests were made.
A spokesman for the force said: "At 5.47pm on Sunday we were initially alerted to protesters heading along the Longford Road towards Exhall, and then a further call stating a number of people walking onto the M6 southbound slip road at J3.
"Closures were put in place on slip roads at J2 and J3 and on the M69. No arrests were made."

Now it is clear the information I asked for was readily available me hence my view have the information I officially requested was deliberately held back

I also note that in your reply to me you say it was a joint operation by Warwickshire police and West Midlands regarding the M6 Protest and implying this may also be a reason why took so long to get the info for me, just for the record l also did an identical FOI to West Midlands police at the same time I did to yourselves and they replied on the 9th June with the following:

WEST MIDDLAND POLICE
RESPONSE
“I am writing to inform you that this information is not held by West Midlands Police.
Warwickshire Police were responsible for the policing of this incident, therefore you might wish to make a request to them for this information. Details on how to do this can be found on their website at the following link: [1]https://www.warwickshire.police.uk/foi-a...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I feel the handling of this FOI has been very suppressive, the fact the at first I was questioned wrongly about the use of my name which you now say was an error was indeed in my opinion another way to try and slow the process down, fortunately for I got that email about my name and responded immediately and if I had not that would have cause further delays which I believe was the intention given the request for my full name was indeed incorrect and un called for.

Can you please confirm what your office guidelines are for providing information for FOI request at the earliest opportunity when it is readily available to be used.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/m...

Yours faithfully,

P. Cook

@ Freedom of Information, Warwickshire Police

Dear Mr Cook

Freedom of Information internal review reference no: 141-2020

I acknowledge receipt of your email of 6 July 2020 requesting an internal review of your FOI request.

You will receive a response within 20 working days unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact the Freedom of Information Unit using this email address quoting the reference number above.

Kind regards,

Emma Ball
Freedom of Information and Information Compliance Supervisor Warwickshire Police

Warwickshire 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, Warwickshire Police, Leek Wootton, warwick, Warwickshire, CV35 7QA.

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 Warwickshire Police (WP) 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 telephone 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 WP made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding access to information, you can lodge a complaint with WP to have the decision reviewed. WP 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:

Freedom of Information
Warwickshire Police
Newbold Road
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV21 2DH

Alternatively, you can email [email address]

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

The Information Commissioner

If after lodging a complaint with WP you are still dissatisfied with the decision, you may make application to the Information Commissioner (ICO) 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. Alternatively, you can contact the ICO in writing or via phone:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545745 (national rate)
Fax: 01625 524 510

@ Freedom of Information, Warwickshire Police

Dear Mr Cook,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO:  141-2020 – Internal Review

 

I write further to your email of 6^th July 2020 requesting an internal
review of your FOI request.

 

Request for internal review

 

You have sought an internal review of the way your request has been
handled.

 

 

Decision of internal review

 

Having reviewed your original Freedom of Information request and your
further submissions I have decided to not uphold your request for an
internal review.

 

In reaching that decision I have considered the following as documented in
your request for an internal review:

 

·         I am off the belief that the FOI request information has
deliberately been withheld until the very last day.

 

I can assure you that responding to you on the last day was certainly not
a deliberate act.  Freedom of Information requests are always dealt as
efficiently as possible and responses are issued at the earliest
opportunity.

A response was issued to you within the time frame determined by the
Freedom of Information Act.  Section 10 states Subject to subsections (2)
and (3), a public authority must comply with section 1(1) promptly and in
any event not later than the twentieth working day following the date of
receipt.   

In your case the response was due to be issued by the 6^th July, and
Warwickshire Police complied with that date.  I apologise that we were
unable to complete your request any sooner.

 

·         given that on the 8th June 2020 the Coventry Telegraph ran this
comment in a story about the M6 invasion:

 

"Warwickshire Police has today told Coventry Live that despite the
hold-up, no arrests were made”

 

The statement above only answers one of the four questions detailed in
your request.  In order to answer all of your questions in full research
had to be conducted to obtain the correct and accurate information to
provide you with.

 

·         I also note that in your reply to me you say it was a joint
operation by Warwickshire police and West Midlands regarding the M6
Protest

 

The protest took place over areas policed by both Warwickshire and West
Midlands Police.  You were correctly advised that information supplied by
us can only represent Warwickshire Police.

 

·         I feel the handling of this FOI has been very  suppressive, the
fact the at first I was questioned wrongly about the use of my name which
you now say was an error was indeed in my opinion another way to try and
slow the process down

 

I have investigated into the reason why you were asked to provide your
full name.  I am certain that this was in no way an attempt to delay the
process, but was an administration error made by us.  I believe my
colleague issued an apology to you on 6^th July for this mistake,  I can
only echo this apology for any inconvenience or distress this may have
caused you.

 

·         Can you please confirm what your office guidelines are for
providing information for FOI request at the earliest opportunity when it
is readily available to be used.

 

Each request received is dealt with in order of receipt, and information
necessary to answer the request is collated as efficiently as possible. 
The response is written and released to the applicant at the earliest
opportunity and within the time restraints detailed in the Freedom of
Information Act.

 

 

Should you have any further queries concerning this matter, please contact
the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.

 

If you remain unsatisfied with the outcome of this internal review you
have the right to apply to the Information Commissioner.  Their contact
details are outlined below.

 

 

Yours Sincerely

 

 

Mrs E Ball

Freedom of Information Supervisor
Warwickshire Police

 

Warwickshire 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, Warwickshire
Police, Leek Wootton, warwick, Warwickshire, CV35 7QA.

 

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 Warwickshire Police
(WP) 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 telephone 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 WP
made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding access
to information, you can lodge a complaint with WP to have the decision
reviewed.  WP 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:

 

Freedom of Information

Warwickshire Police

Newbold Road

Rugby

Warwickshire

CV21 2DH

 

Alternatively, you can email
[1][email address]

 

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

 

The Information Commissioner

 

If after lodging a complaint with WP you are still dissatisfied with the
decision, you may make application to the Information Commissioner (ICO)
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 [2]website.  Alternatively, you can contact the ICO in
writing or via phone:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

Tel:  0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545745 (national rate)

Fax:  01625 524 510

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. https://ico.org.uk/