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

24th June 2024

Dear Mr. Warrin,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 21st June
2024 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 21st June 2024.  I note you seek access to the following information:

Police Oath Breaches

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. 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/for-organisations/gui...

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 request again, you will be
notified.

If you have any queries regarding your request please write to the
Corporate Information Branch via 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 Corporate Information Manager, 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 unhappy about how your request has been handled you have
the right to apply in writing to the Information Commissioner at
‘Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF. There are a number of other platforms you can use to
contact the ICO and these can be found on the ICO’s website at the
following link: Make a complaint | ICO
([2]https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/).

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,

ARW
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

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References

Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/gui...
2. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

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

24th June 2024

Dear Mr. Warrin,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 21st June
2024 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 21st June 2024.  I note you seek access to the following information:

Police Oath Breaches

To enable the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to meet your
request could you please provide further clarification on the following

Can you confirm what Is meant be officers being found in breach of their
oath. Do you mean breaches of Article 1.3 of the Code of Ethics, which
specifically states that ‘officers should carry out their duties in
accordance with the Police Service attestation’

To assist we have provided the oath taken by PSNI officers in full under:

Police Officers attest in accordance with Article 38 of the Police
Northern Ireland Act 2000. The legislation is freely available in the
Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000.

Attestation of constables.

 1. Every police officer shall, on appointment, be attested as a constable
by making before a justice of the peace a declaration in the following
form—

“I hereby do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I
will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of constable, with
fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality, upholding fundamental
human rights and according equal respect to all individuals and their
traditions and beliefs; and that while I continue to hold the said office
I will to the best of my skill and knowledge discharge all the duties
thereof according to law.”

 2. The Chief Constable shall take such steps as he considers necessary—

(a)   to bring the terms of the declaration to the attention of all police
officers appointed before the coming into force of this section; and

(b)   to ensure that they understand it and understand the need to carry
out their duties in accordance with it.

 3. “Traditions and beliefs” does not include a tradition or belief so far
as it is incompatible with the rule of law.

You should be aware that the 20 day legislative time limit dictated by the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 has been stopped. Once we receive
clarification of your request a new 20 working day time limit will
commence.

Please send clarification of your request by writing to Corporate
Information Branch, PSNI Headquarters, 65 Knock Road Belfast BT5 6LE or by
email to [email address]. Alternatively, if you wish to discuss your
request or have any additional queries you can contact the Corporate
Information Branch on 028 9070 0164.

Yours sincerely,

ARW
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

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