Operation Piper - London's West End, 1992

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) did not have the information requested.

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

In February 1992 the Vice officers from Westminster’s Juvenile Protection Unit, Street Offences Squad and British Transport Police joined forces and launched Operation Piper which involved searching the West End of London for at risk children in order to curb child prostitution.

Inspector Charlie Barber oversaw the operation and some of those involved included Sgt Pat Moyle, Vice Officer Simon Collins and PC Patrick Moyhill.

Please could you provide the following information in relation to this operation:

1. How long did Operation Piper last for?
2. How many children were located?
3. How many of those had absconded from local authority Care homes?
4. How many children found had become involved in prostitution?
5. How many alleged sexual abuse?
6. How many were reunited with family or sent back to local authority Care?
7. Were any adults implicated within the operation or found to be involved?
8. How many adults were arrested in relation to this operation?

Yours faithfully,

Claire Pearce

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms Pearce

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2017030000699

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 15/03/2017.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

"In February 1992 the Vice officers from Westminster’s Juvenile Protection
Unit, Street Offences Squad and British Transport Police joined forces and
launched Operation Piper which involved searching the West End of London
for at risk children in order to curb child prostitution.

Inspector Charlie Barber oversaw the operation and some of those involved
included Sgt Pat Moyle, Vice Officer Simon Collins and PC Patrick Moyhill.

Please could you provide the following information in relation to this
operation:

1. How long did Operation Piper last for?
2. How many children were located?
3. How many of those had absconded from local authority Care homes?
4. How many children found had become involved in prostitution?
5. How many alleged sexual abuse?
6. How many were reunited with family or sent back to local authority
Care?
7. Were any adults implicated within the operation or found to be
involved?
8. How many adults were arrested in relation to this operation?"

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.  

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
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will be able to pass on a message and/or advise you of the relevant
contact details.

Yours sincerely

R. Loizou
Support Officer - Freedom of Information Triage Team
 
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Complaint

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FOI Complaint
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London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
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The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
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phone:

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Wycliffe House
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Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 0303 123 1113

Total Policing is the Met's commitment to be on the streets and in your
communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are
here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.

 

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
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NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
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the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
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authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

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Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Ms Pearce

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2017030000699

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 15/03/2017.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

In February 1992 the Vice officers from Westminster’s Juvenile Protection
Unit, Street Offences Squad and British Transport Police joined forces and
launched Operation Piper which involved searching the West End of London
for at risk children in order to curb child prostitution. Inspector
Charlie Barber oversaw the operation and some of those involved included
Sgt Pat Moyle, Vice Officer Simon Collins and PC Patrick Moyhill. Please
could you provide the following information in relation to this operation:
1. How long did Operation Piper last for?
2. How many children were located?
3. How many of those had absconded from local authority Care homes?
4. How many children found had become involved in prostitution?
5. How many alleged sexual abuse?
6. How many were reunited with family or sent back to local authority
Care?
7. Were any adults implicated within the operation or found to be
involved?
8. How many adults were arrested in relation to this operation? .

SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
with our Records Management Branch.  The searches failed to locate any
information relevant to your request, therefore, the information you have
requested is not held by the MPS.

Please note that the MPS operates a robust retention and disposal policy
and the lack of any information about such a file now means that we no
longer hold any files.  It is impossible to state with any accuracy
whether we even held any files.  We may have had files that have been
destroyed, as it was decided at some stage that they were no longer
relevant to a policing purpose.   Equally we may never have held any files
on this subject.  Files that were thought to have had an ongoing
historical relevance would have been transferred to the National Archive
for eventual publication.

You may wish to make a FOI requuest to BTP.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me via email at [email address], quoting the reference number
above.

Yours sincerely

Michela Holmes
FOIA Officer
 
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 the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Information Rights Unit
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF
[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS 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 www.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone:  0303 123 1113

Total Policing is the Met's commitment to be on the streets and in your
communities to catch offenders, prevent crime and support victims. We are
here for London, working with you to make our capital safer.

 

Consider our environment - please do not print this email unless
absolutely necessary.

NOTICE - This email and any attachments may be confidential, subject to
copyright and/or legal privilege and are intended solely for the use of
the intended recipient. If you have received this email in error, please
notify the sender and delete it from your system.  To avoid incurring
legal liabilities, you must not distribute or copy the information in this
email without the permission of the sender. MPS communication systems are
monitored to the extent permitted by law.  Consequently, any email and/or
attachments may be read by monitoring staff. Only specified personnel are
authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of the MPS by
email. The MPS accepts no responsibility for unauthorised agreements
reached with other employees or agents.  The security of this email and
any attachments cannot be guaranteed. Email messages are routinely scanned
but malicious software infection and corruption of content can still occur
during transmission over the Internet. Any views or opinions expressed in
this communication are solely those of the author and do not necessarily
represent those of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

 

Find us at:

Facebook: Facebook.com/metpoliceuk

Twitter: @metpoliceuk