Service Numbers of Officers attending incidents

The request was refused by Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,

Reference the following police incidents:

Police Reference Number: 1420 25/05/17
&
Police Reference Number: 292 29/11/15

Can I request the Service Numbers only of all Officers attending the incidents. This includes service numbers (as per command and control and niche systems) of drivers, observers, crews providing assistance, satellite crews etc.

I am mindful of balancing the privacy and safety of Officers against the specific reason why I need access to the data. For this reason I have requested Service Numbers only.

Many Thanks

Yours faithfully,

M Fenton

Police Service of Northern Ireland

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

5th November 2019

Dear Sir or madam,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 4th November
2019 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
on 4th November 2019.  I note you seek access to the following
information:

Service Numbers of Officers attending incidents

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 however I would like to advise you that PSNI are currently
experiencing a delay in the processing of requests and we aim to respond
to your request as soon as possible.

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
Corporate Information Branch on 028 9070 0164. 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 Head of 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 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,

Gilbert

FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

show quoted sections

References

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

Police Service of Northern Ireland

1 Attachment

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

Subject: FOI-2019-02855
17th November 2019

Dear Sir / Madam,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I write in connection with your request for information dated 4th November
2019 which was received by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on 4th
November 2019 concerning:

Service Numbers of Officers attending incidents

Please find attached response to your request.

 

Yours sincerely,

Jane
FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

show quoted sections

Dear Police Service of Northern Ireland,

I hereby request an internal review into this decision.

The request is anomilised via service numbers specifically to protect the confidentiality of individual Officers and protect their safety.

The PSNI is using the exemption in an arbitrary, incorrect and blanket manner. It is, more seriously, doing so with an agenda of concealing a rather innocuous piece of data, one that should be readily available.

It is one of the cornerstones of modern policing that the public should be able to identify whom has called to their home and dealt with their incidents. I made the compromise of service numbers out of courtesy.

Does the PSNI hold a different position? Should anonymous police officers operate in a secret fashion in Northern Ireland?

I request an internal review immediately and if I have no satisfaction from the PSNI I shall take the matter up with the ICO.

Yours faithfully,

M Fenton

Police Service of Northern Ireland

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

Subject:       FOI-2019-02855
18th November 2019

Dear M Fenton,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

I acknowledge receipt of your correspondence dated  requesting that Police
Service of Northern Ireland review its response to your request for
information concerning:

Service Numbers of Officers attending incidents

An internal review will be conducted in accordance with Police Service of
Northern Ireland's review procedure.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 an independent
decision maker will carry out a review of this case and advise you in
writing of the outcome.

If you wish to discuss this matter prior to receiving a response please
contact me on 028 9070 0164.  Please remember to quote the reference
number above in any future communications.

If following an internal review you were to remain dissatisfied in any way
with the handling of the request you may make a complaint 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

David

FOI Decision Maker
Corporate Information Branch
PSNI HQ Brooklyn

show quoted sections

Police Service of Northern Ireland

1 Attachment

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

Subject:  FOI-2019-02855
16th December 2019

Dear Sir/Madam,

FREEDOM of INFORMATION ACT 2000

Following your request for us to review our previous response concerning:

Service Numbers of Officers attending incidents

I can advise you that Police Service of Northern Ireland has now completed
its review - please see attachment.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Morris
Corporate Information

show quoted sections