Policies, procedures and practices of establishing, designing and equipping new police stations

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.025987

I note you seek access to the following information:

Please provide me with an electronic copy of any documentation you hold relating to policies, procedures and practices of establishing, designing and equipping new police stations.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose some of the requested information. Some data has been withheld as it is exempt from disclosure and therefore this response serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) by virtue of the following exemptions:

Section 31(1)(a) - Law Enforcement
Section 38(1)(a) - Health and Safety

Reason for decision

Section 31(1)(a) of the Act provides that any information is exempt if its disclosure under the Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice the prevention or detection of crime. Under Section 38(1)(a) of the Act, Public Authorities are able to withhold information if it’s disclosure would, or would be likely to, endanger the physical or mental health of any individual.

I have claimed these exemptions in that the public release of the content of the design guides for police stations and/or the full detail required under the lifecycle process, would provide sensitive information to those that would seek damage police buildings or harm the persons within them. In this regard, release would be likely to prejudice the prevention of crime and/or the physical safety of persons in police buildings.

Harm to Police Buildings and Infrastructure - Police Buildings and infrastructure are at risk from harm from persons that would wish to disrupt the work of police or cause harm to police employees. Should a person with this intent gain access to sensitive information about the design of police stations/buildings, this would be likely to have 3 effects. Firstly, the offender would be better informed having obtained sensitive information about police stations/buildings. An informed offender would be better equipped and able to commit offences. Secondly a better informed and equipped offender would be more confident in committing offences which would increase the likelihood of offences being committed. Lastly an informed and confident offender would be more able and likely to avoid detection from police.

Ultimately the public release of any information that would be likely to assist the offender to commit offences and/or would adversely affect the ability of the MPS to prevent crime, is unlikely to be in the public interest.

Safety of MPS Employees and Other Parties - Police buildings/stations and those that operate from these premises are at risk from those that would seek to harm the police and/or those that are associated with them. Should the MPS place into the public domain sensitive information that relates to the design of police stations or buildings, this would assist those whose intention is to harm police personnel and those connected to them. The public interest does not support releasing information under the Act that would be likely to facilitate crime and/or place individuals in danger.

Having considered your request, I accept that there is a public interest in transparency when any request is made for police information. The public interest favouring release must be balanced against any associated risk and prejudice that would be caused through disclosure. Having carefully considered this, I have found that the public release of sensitive information that relates to the design of police stations/buildings, would be likely to assist those that would seek to disrupt police, harm their employees and/or other persons that operate from police premises. Whilst I accept that transparency is an important consideration when evaluating whether to release police information, I have found that the public interest supports withholding information where its release would be likely to place police buildings and those that operate from police premises at greater risk. For this reason, I have refused to release the information identified as harmful in relation to your request for information.

Disclosure

I have disclosed some of the located information to you. Please find enclosed extracts of the project lifecycle process that is released by the MPS to those entering the tendering process for construction projects. This includes the list of relevant design guides.