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Guidance/policies the MPS has regarding Public Photography/Videography

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.22.022765

I note you seek access to the following information:

I'm writing to request the updated guidance/policies that the Metropolitan Police has relating to Public Photography/Videography.

1. What is the most up to date guidance issued to officers relating to public photography?
2. What is the most up to date policy relating to public photography?
3. What is the guidance issued to officers relating to photography of/around sites such as Police Stations, Prisons, and other government sites?
4. Breakdown by London Borough and power of the times the Terrorism Act is used to search Photographers/Videographers? Could the timeframe be 5 years up to (and including if possible) the month the data is being processed.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

Q1 and 2 -
What is the most up to date guidance issued to officers relating to public photography?
What is the most up to date policy relating to public photography?

I am pleased to inform you that current guidance/policy is published on the MPS website:

Advice and Information - Photography Advice
Advice and Information - Guidelines for Filming

Q3 - What is the guidance issued to officers relating to photography of/around sites such as Police Stations, Prisons, and other government sites?

We advise that if an individual or production wants to take photographs or videos of our buildings, to make contact with us so that we can record the date, time, location, purpose of the shoot etc., and a contact name and number. We would then contact the relevant building to let them know and set up a CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) record. In the event that officers or staff from that building challenge the individual or production, they can produce the CAD reference number to defuse any escalation.

It is not illegal for members of the public to take photographs of police stations, but we would just like to be asked beforehand to prevent unnecessary confrontation.

If the filming was hostile, or for criminal or terrorist purposes, Police Powers are to arrest and seize equipment as evidence.

Q4 - Breakdown by London Borough and power of the times the Terrorism Act is used to search Photographers/Videographers. Could the timeframe be 5 years up to (and including if possible) the month the data is being processed.

A search was conducted for Terrorism Act offences where the accused was a photographer (there is currently no code on the crime reporting system for videographer). However no data was returned. Therefore this information is not held.