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Use of powers under S136 MHA 1983

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Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I seek the following information about use of police powers under S136 MHA 1983 in East London, with reference to the Metropolitan Police Standard Operating Procedure on Mental Health, as published here: http://www.met.police.uk/foi/pdfs/polici...

1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers in accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as possible to this date).

2. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Newham between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as possible to this date).

3. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Hackney between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as possible to this date).

Please note that I am not requesting any information on specific incidents or individuals.

I would prefer to receive this information electronically, preferably as a data set, eg. in Excel, NOT as a PDF.

If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in the Data Protection Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

If some parts of this request are easier to answer than others, I would ask that you release the available data as soon as possible. Should budgetary constraints be likely to prevent you from providing all the information outlined in points 1.-3., I ask that you begin with the information in point 1., then point 2., then point 3.

If you need any clarification then please do not hesitate to contact me. Under Section 16 it is your duty to provide advice and assistance and so I would expect you to contact me if you find this request unmanageable in any way.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you within the 20-working day statutory time period.

Yours faithfully,

Josh Lowe

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Please note that point 1. on my request 'use of powers under S136 MHA 1983 should read:

1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as possible to this date).

rather than:

1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers in accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as possible to this date).

Please notify me as soon as possible if there is a problem taking this alteration into account.

Yours faithfully,

Josh Lowe

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr. Lowe

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013110001111
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 07/11/2013.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

"Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I seek the following
information about use of police powers under S136 MHA 1983 in East London,
with reference to the Metropolitan Police Standard Operating Procedure on
Mental Health, as published here:
http://www.met.police.uk/foi/pdfs/polici...

1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers in
accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request
(or as near as possible to this date).

2. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers
because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance
with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Newham between 1st January
2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as
possible to this date).

3. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers
because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance
with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Hackney between 1st January
2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as
possible to this date).

Please note that I am not requesting any information on specific incidents
or individuals.

I would prefer to receive this information electronically, preferably as a
data set, eg. in Excel, NOT as a PDF.

If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in
the Data Protection Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the
exemptions used.

If some parts of this request are easier to answer than others, I would
ask that you release the available data as soon as possible. Should
budgetary constraints be likely to prevent you from providing all the
information outlined in points 1.-3., I ask that you begin with the
information in point 1., then point 2., then point 3.

If you need any clarification then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Under Section 16 it is your duty to provide advice and assistance and so I
would expect you to contact me if you find this request unmanageable in
any way.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received
this request, and I look forward to hearing from you within the 20-working
day statutory time period.

Please note that point 1. on my request 'use of powers under S136 MHA 1983
should read:

1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers
because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance
with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 1st
January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near
as possible to this date).

rather than:

1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers in
accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request
(or as near as possible to this date).

Please notify me as soon as possible if there is a problem taking this
alteration into account."

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, subject to
the information not being exempt or containing a reference to a third
party.  In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to achieve this
deadline.  If this is likely you will be informed and given a revised
time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

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.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

R. Loizou
Administration Team 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
Public Access Office
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.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
 Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone:  01625 545 700

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

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Lowe
 
Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2013110001111
 
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 07/11/2013. I note you seek
access to the following information:
 
"Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 I seek the following
information about use of police powers under S136 MHA 1983 in East London,
with reference to the Metropolitan Police Standard Operating Procedure on
Mental Health, as published here:
[1]http://www.met.police.uk/foi/pdfs/polici...
 
1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers in
accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request
(or as near as possible to this date).
2. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers
because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance
with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Newham between 1st January
2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as
possible to this date).
3. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers
because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance
with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Hackney between 1st January
2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near as
possible to this date).
 
Please note that point 1. on my request 'use of powers under S136 MHA 1983
should read:
 
1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers
because they appear to be suffering from mental disorder in accordance
with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets between 1st
January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request (or as near
as possible to this date).
 
rather than:
 
1. The number of people removed to a place of safety by MPS officers in
accordance with s136 MHA 1983 in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
between 1st January 2013 and the date at which you respond to this request
(or as near as possible to this date).
 
Please notify me as soon as possible if there is a problem taking this
alteration into account. "
 
EXTENT OF SEARCHES TO LOCATE INFORMATION
 
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted
at the Directorate of Information Reporting Services Helpdesk and the
Territorial Policing Criminal Justice Unit.
 
RESULT OF SEARCHES
 
The searches located information relevant to your request.
 
DECISION
 
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full in
terms of information that is held by the MPS.
 
Please find below information pursuant to your request above.
 
No custody record is created for those taken to a place of safety.
Instead, any action taken by an officer under s135 or s136 MHA was
recorded on a paper form that was stored wherever the officer concerned
was located at the time. Each binder in every police station on the three
boroughs would have to be searched and the requisite forms found, read and
counted. The forms held details of mental capacity and s136 so each form
would have to be read to discover if it related to s136. Therefore the
records for January to March 2013 are unavailable as a manual search would
mean that this request could be refused on cost grounds. However, this
system was reviewed and considered inefficient and inaccurate and from
April 2013 officers have been required to enter information relating to
s136 MHA incidents on a single Police computer system known as MERLIN.
From this database I can inform you that of the records placed on Merlin
in the period between 01/04/2013 and 01/12/2013:
 
69 records were created for Hackney; 21 records for Newham; and, 35
records for Tower Hamlets. 
 
The local NHS Mental Health Trusts will be able to provide accurate
statistical data on those conducted to a place of safety under s136 MHA.
 
COMPLAINT RIGHTS
 
Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.
 
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Deborah Solomon on telephone number 0207 161 4291 quoting the
reference number above.
 
Yours sincerely
 
David Way
TP Criminal Justice
Territorial Policing Command
 
In complying with their statutory duty under sections 1 and 11 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 to release the enclosed information, the
Metropolitan Police Service 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 MPS Directorate of Legal
Services, 1st Floor (Victoria Block), New Scotland Yard, Victoria, London,
SW1H 0BG.
 
 
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
Public Access Office
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 [2]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk. 
Alternatively, phone or write to:
 
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone:  01625 545 700
 
 

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

References

Visible links
1. http://www.met.police.uk/foi/pdfs/polici...
2. file:///tmp/www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

We don't know whether the most recent response to this request contains information or not – if you are Josh Lowe please sign in and let everyone know.