Organisational Chart

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Port of Dover Police should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Port of Dover Police,

In the absence of a Publication Scheme, please provide an organisational chart that shows the current make-up and rank structure of your police force (including post holder details).

I addition, please provide details of the professional and nationally accredited rank specific qualifications, including dates obtained, that allows the role holders (for clarity, Sergeants, Inspectors and above, ) to comply with all national legislation and guidance that is applicable to all police forces.

Yours faithfully,

Diane Amos

Police, Port of Dover Police

 

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References

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Police, Port of Dover Police

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your enquiry.

We will reply substantively within the prescribed time period.

Yours faithfully
Port of Dover Police

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Peter Francis-Cable, Port of Dover Police

1 Attachment

Dear Diane Amos,

With reference to your recent FOIA request, as below, please fund attached our response.

Kind regards

Peter Francis-Cable
Police Sergeant
Port Of Dover Police
01304 216084 Ext 5711

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Dear Peter Francis-Cable,

Thank you for your reply to my Freedom of Information Act request, although you do not appear to have fully answered my question.

In your reply you state: "You will need to specify which 'national legislation and guidance that is applicable to all police forces' which you are suggesting Port of Dover Police are required to comply with" - Mr Francis-Cable, I'm not suggesting anything. I am quoting your own website that clearly states, in bold, and under Compliance, "Port of Dover Police complies with all national legislation and guidance that is applicable to all police forces". http://www.doverport.co.uk/about/police/ I am surprised you appear to have not recognised your own web-site statement of intent and compliance.

I would suggest however, that whilst you're geographical position may be unique, the office of constable from which you derive your powers and privileges is not. Nor should any police force be able to pick and choose which legislation or guidance they decide to comply with simply because they do not fall under the responsibility of the Home Office.

Back to my question. You will be aware that promotion to the ranks of Police Sergeant and Inspector are governed by legislation and guidance. The Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996, states:

3.—(1) A constable is qualified for promotion to the rank of sergeant if he —
(a) has obtained a pass in the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of sergeant,
(b) has completed 2 years' service, and
(c) has completed his probationary service.
(2) A sergeant is qualified for promotion to the rank of inspector if he —
(a) has obtained a pass in the qualifying examination for promotion to the rank of inspector, and
(b) has completed 2 years' service in the rank of sergeant.

And Schedule 1 of the Regulations states:

1.—(1) The qualifying examinations for promotion to the ranks of sergeant or inspector are examinations in
(a) criminal law,
(b) evidence and procedure in criminal courts,
(c) traffic law,
(d) general police duties, and
(e) managerial competence,
held under arrangements and on syllabuses approved by or on behalf of the examinations board.
(2) Each of the qualifying examinations referred to in sub-paragraph (1) comprises —
(a) Part I, consisting of a written paper, and
(b) Part II, consisting of practical tests.

Under the Police National Improvement Agency Part I and II above, came under the auspices of the Objective Structured Performance Related Examination (OSPRE..) Part I being a 3-hour multiple-choice exam with a maximum of 150 questions and Part II being a scenario-based and role-playing exam which tests the candidates' management and supervisory ability and potential. Both parts need to be passed before candidates could be considered for substantive promotion.

The Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996 repealed The Police (Promotion) Regulations 1979 and The Police (Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985 and 1991.

The Police (Promotion) (Amendment) Regulations 2005 brought about an alternative to Part II above, whereby forces may use practical assessments or work-based assessment to test candidates. Part I remained unchanged and both parts need to be passed before candidates could be considered for substantive promotion.

In 2012, The College of Policing published the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) which states, "Forces are mandated under Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996 (as amended) and NPPF to comply with the requirements of the NPPF". In November 2014, OSPRE Part I was renamed the NPPF Step 2 Legal Exam and OSPRE Part II became a local selection process.

Hopefully the above sets out the legal framework in respect of police promotion. You will clearly be aware that written into legislation, in particular the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, there are many authorities, powers and authorisations that can only be granted by officers of certain ranks, for example under section 18 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act a search of a premises after an arrest can only take place if it has been authorised by an inspector, it is therefore necessary that officers holding substantive positions of rank are properly qualified to conduct their role.

So, to answer my original question, under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to know the promotion qualifications, and dates such qualifications were obtained, by Inspector Gary Clark and Sergeants Steve Williams, Peter Francis-Cable, Graham Galvin, Mark Yarrow and Sally Miller that will confirm that the Port of Dover Police complies with all national legislation and guidance that is applicable to all police forces in respect of substantive promotion.

Yours sincerely,

Diane Amos

Peter Francis-Cable, Port of Dover Police

 

Dear Mrs Amos,

 

Thank you for your email.

 

For your information, Port of Dover Police are not a police force per se,
and are not accountable to any of The Police Acts. Therefore, Police
Regulations, do not apply to the Port of Dover Police.

 

Our website is correct though. Although not under statute to comply with
the above legislation, our current promotion policy which was introduced
in 2015, does bring us in line with the National Police Promotion
Framework, which of course complies with The Police (Promotion)
Regulations 1996.

 

Port Of Dover Police Officers are employees of the Dover Harbour Board who
provide their terms and conditions of employment to all Port of Dover
Police Officers in the same way as all other port employees. The decision
to promote any employee, including a Police Officer is made by Dover
Harbour Board. Dover Harbour Board are not a public authority and are not
bound by the requirements of the Freedom Of Information Act.

 

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your FOI request, you have
the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should
be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to
your original request.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Walter Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

 

 

Regards

 

Peter Francis-Cable

Police Sergeant

01304 216084 Ext 5711

 

 

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Dear Peter Francis-Cable,

Thank you for your reply to my FIO request which on the face of it was very simple. Unfortunately you have once again failed to answer my question. Before I escalate this request to internal review, and potentially further, I would like to give you one final opportunity to answer my question that warrants a very simple reply:

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to know the Police Promotion qualifications, and dates such qualifications were obtained by the following individuals who have been nominated and sworn into the Office of Constable and are currently serving Port of Dover Police Officers -
Inspector Gary Clark
Sergeant Steve Williams
Sergeant Peter Francis-Cable.
Sergeant Graham Galvin,
Sergeant Mark Yarrow, and,
Sergeant Sally Miller.

Yours sincerely,

Diane Amos

Dear Port of Dover Police,

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

I am writing to request an internal review of Port of Dover Police's handling of my FOI request 'Organisational Chart'.

My initial request for information was made on the 5th March 2017. Despite subsequent correspondence you have failed to answer my question, which clearly relates to the Constabulary function of the Port of Dover Police, funded entirely by the Dover Harbour Board (your words). My last response to yet another ambiguous reply from yourselves, dated the 9 April, remains unanswered...

Under the Freedom of Information Act I would like to know the Police Promotion qualifications, and dates such qualifications were obtained by the following individuals who have been nominated and sworn into the Office of Constable and are currently serving Port of Dover Police Officers at the respective substantive ranks of -
Inspector Gary Clark
Sergeant Steve Williams
Sergeant Peter Francis-Cable.
Sergeant Graham Galvin,
Sergeant Mark Yarrow, and,
Sergeant Sally Miller.

I'm really not sure why such a simple question appears to be so difficult to answer...

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

Yours faithfully,

Diane Amos

Peter Francis-Cable, Port of Dover Police

 

Dear Mrs Amos,

 

Please treat this email as acknowledgement of your request for an internal
Review as per your below email.

 

I have passed on all information regarding your FOI request to our FOI
compliance Manager who will contact you in due course.

 

Regards

 

Peter Francis-Cable

 

Police Sergeant

Port Of Dover Police

01304 216084 Ext 5711

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