Fleet & use of callsign

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.029960

I note you seek access to the following information:

I am requesting the following:

Roads and Transport Policing Command (MO8) fleet of active unmarked and marked units including specific units/teams
- Road Crime Team
- Safer Transport Team
- Motorcycle Safety Team
- Command Vehicles

What Constables use as their radio callsigns used by all teams of the Roads and Transport Policing Command (MO8)

Clarification -
In regards to your first question, please specify exactly what information you require about the MO8 Fleet.

Clarification -
Referring to the information regarding the fleet, I am requesting some type of document, preferably a spreadsheet which states the year, make and model of the vehicle as well as what specific team/unit it belongs to within MO8, and specify if it is marked or unmarked and whether it is pursuit/command/response capable.

Regarding the callsigns used by MO8, I am requesting to know the what alpha numeric digits they use as well as how the numbers are came up with, not requesting any specific numbers or callsigns as to keep the constables information confidential.

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)(b) – Law Enforcement

Reason for decision

The answer to your first question has been withheld under Section 31(1)(a)(b) – Law Enforcement.

You have asked what vehicles the Roads and Transport Policing (RTPC) use, including a breakdown by make, model, year and team the vehicle is attached to and the vehicle capabilities including if it is marked or unmarked. It should be noted that the RTPC are tasked with denying criminals use of the roads and surface transport network and reduce serious injury and road deaths within London. Any such disclosure would provide enough information for individuals (or groups of individuals) with criminal or malicious intent to disrupt our ability to police crime and to deploy resources safely and efficiently which would hinder our ability to fulfil our basic law enforcement functions, would endanger public safety, and would impact on our ability to reduce crime in London. Section 31(1)(a)(b) of the Act, which governs Law Enforcement is therefore engaged in respect of your request.

Section 31(1)(a)(b) – Law Enforcement - As stated before, Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC) are tasked with denying criminals use of the roads and surface transport network and reduce serious injury and road deaths within London. If we were to disclose information about the vehicles they use, broken down to the level you have requested, this would reveal our tactical capability for RTPC. If this information was obtained by individuals with criminal intent they could use it to disrupt roads and transport policing. For example, any individual with access to this information, could use the information to commit crime and avoid reveal our tactical capabilities which would negatively affect the MPS law enforcement function.

The MPS already regularly publishes data in relation to its fleet. To disclose the further information you have requested, in this case, information identifying the vehicles used by a specialist proactive unit, would reveal our tactical capability and would place the MPS at a tactical disadvantage as outlined in the harm above. It cannot be in the public interest to disclose information which would undermine our ability to detect crime, and bring offenders to justice, and ultimately, to reduce crime on the roads of London. As detailed within the 'harm', the information you are seeking would be a valuable asset to individuals and/or organisations wishing to commit crimes.

Disclosing information about vehicles used by specific units would disrupt the deployment of those units and officers to any crime which, in turn, would enable offenders to destroy evidence and evade apprehension.

Disclosure would also identify the skills and capabilities of a particular unit, in this case RPTC, which could be of intelligence value to a person or persons with criminal or malicious intent. Knowledge of these skills and capabilities could therefore provide those with malicious intent to form some form of attack on an operational unit, or could allow them to avoid that unit, etc. It is for these reasons that Section 31(1)(a)(b) of the Act has been applied.

Fleet data is already published by the MPS and after weighing up the competing interests I have determined that the disclosure of the additional fleet data you are seeking would not be in the public interest. I consider that the benefit that would result from the information being disclosed does not outweigh the considerations favouring non-disclosure.

This decision is based on the understanding that the public interest is not what interests the public, but what would be of greater good to the community as a whole.

Disclosure

In regards to your redefined second question, the Alpha Numerical digits used for call signs are letters A – Z and numbers 1-9. Every unit within the MPS are given unique letters and numbers specific to them to identify them on the radio.

DUTY TO ADVISE AND ASSIST
Please be advised that MPS Fleet Data - March 2023 is published every six months by the MPS, broken down by area. As outlined above, any further breakdown would impact on law enforcement.