Review into Policing of XR Protests

The request was refused by Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner.

Dear Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner,

In relation to the review of the policing of "XR protests" earlier in 2020 mentioned in the response to FOI request, your reference: FOI/OPCC/20-019 would you please release:

* The final report of that review, and its recommendations.

* Correspondence with Cambridgeshire Police relating to the review and the adoption or rejection of its recommendations.

* Correspondence with MPs for the police force area directly relating to the review and its recommendations.

--

Richard Taylor
Cambridge
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk

Richard Taylor left an annotation ()

The previous FOI request referred to is at

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/b...

and the specific response is at:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/6...

cambs-pcc (Cambs), Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner

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References

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2. http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/acc...

cambs-pcc (Cambs), Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner

4 Attachments

Dear Mr Taylor

Thank you for your email dated 29th August 2020 requesting information
from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Please find attached the OPCC's response regarding your request.

The act requires that the OPCC handles all requests in a manner that is
blind to the identity of the requestor.  Any information released in
response to the request is regarded as being published and therefore in
the public domain without caveat.

We trust that the information meets your needs.  However, if you are
unhappy with this response, please see attached 'satisfied with our
service' document, which sets out your rights to appeal.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter please do not
hesitate to contact us quoting the reference included in our response.

Yours sincerely

Claire

Claire Dicker
Business Support Officer
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough

Email: [email address
Tel:      Working remotely
Web:   [1]http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk 
Add:    Police HQ, PO Box 688, Huntingdon PE29 9LA

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Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner,

I would like to request an internal review of the decision to refuse to release the final report and recommendations arising from the review of the policing of "XR protests" earlier in 2020.

I would like the internal review to reconsider the public interest balance test which has been carried out.

The review in question appears to be the primary mechanism via which the Police and Crime Commissioner has responded to concerns raised by the public and elected representatives. The Commissioner has stated:

"There is clearly a need for a national discussion regarding the challenges the police face when managing protests. I have asked the Chief Constable to conduct a thorough internal review into their response and look forward to making sure the findings of that review inform both local and national learning."

https://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/st...

Refusing to release the review's findings and recommendations appears at odds with the stated intent of the commissioner in "making sure the findings of that review inform both local and national learning". Withholding the review's findings cannot assist in the aim of ensuring the findings inform both local and national learning. I would like the review to consider if the potential for the review's findings to "inform both local and national learning" have been given sufficient weight.

I note the Police and Crime Commissioner's office has already indicated an intent to publish at least some of the report's recommendations, stating:

"To reassure the public we intend to disseminate a press release which outlines the key recommendations which will be taken forward"

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/6...

This request for the report was made in light of no specific plans for the publication of the report having been published.

I would like the internal review to consider if it was appropriate to refuse to release the entirety of the report and recommendations rather than to precisely identify any "sensitive information" within it, and redact that prior to the release of the material.

I would like the internal review to consider how releasing material such as the recommendations would, as apparently claimed, compromise the Constabulary’s future ability to police protests or impede their tactical options in order to balance the rights of protestors against the rights of those affected by their actions. I would expect any justification of refusal of the request to explain the mechanism via which harm could be caused.

I would like the internal review to consider how publication of the review report could make policing more effective and serve the public interest, either by directly improving confidence in policing, or enabling confidence in policing to be improved through, for example, tackling matters raised, and the holding to account of those in positions of responsibility.

--

Richard Taylor
Cambridge
http://www.rtaylor.co.uk

cambs-pcc (Cambs), Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner

Thank you for contacting the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner for
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.  This is an automated response to let you
know that your message has been safely received and we aim to respond to
all correspondence within 10 working days. 

 

If your matter is for the police you should call 101 or if it is an
emergency call 999.  You can also contact Cambridgeshire Constabulary via
their website on 
[1]https://www.cambs.police.uk/information-...

 

In accordance with Government guidelines on Covid-19 coronavirus, the
Commissioner’s staff are working business as usual but away from the
office.  Emails will continue to be read daily but there may be a small
delay in response times.  Please note, however that this email address is
not monitored over weekends or Bank Holidays.

 

Telephone calls to the office on 0300 333 3456 will not be answered,
voicemail messages will only be picked up periodically and there may
therefore be a delay in response. 

 

We take the management and protection of all personal data we hold
seriously and continue to review our policies in line with new
legislation. Information about the way we handle personal data can be
found on our website
[2]http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/acc...

 

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

 

 

References

Visible links
1. https://www.cambs.police.uk/information-...
2. http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk/acc...

cambs-pcc (Cambs), Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Taylor

Please see attached response from the OPCC regarding your request for a
review of your FOI request into the Policing of XR protests.

Kind Regards

Claire

Claire Dicker
Business Support Officer
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough

Email: [email address
Tel:      Working remotely
Web:   [1]http://www.cambridgeshire-pcc.gov.uk 
Add:    Police HQ, PO Box 688, Huntingdon PE29 9LA

show quoted sections