Policing during Queens Park Rangers v Birmingham City Football match on 29 March 2024
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.037045
I note you seek access to the following information:
On 29 March 2024 I attended the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City game in London. Having witnessed a very large police presence in and around Queens Park Rangers FC and the White City area which involved several hundred police officers and multiple riot vans and horses I am interested to find out a few details regarding the policing operation for the day.
Please can you therefore provide me with the following information;
- The total number of Police officers on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The total number of Police officers on duty inside Loftus Road football stadium for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024..
- The total Cost paid by Queens Park Rangers FC for the deployment of Police officers on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The total Cost paid by the Metropolitan Police for the deployment of Police officers on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The Police forces on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The most senior ranked officer on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The total number of riot vans deployed for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The total number of horses deployed for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The total number of arrests made in relation to the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
- The total number of helicopters & drones used in relation to the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
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 22(1)(a) – Information intended for future publication
Reason for decision
These searches successfully located the information relevant to your request. I will disclose the answers to questions 2, 5 – 8 and 10 under the section Disclosure.
I can also confirm that the MPS hold the requested data in relation to questions 1,3,4 and 9. This will be published in accordance with our publication scheme; and is consistent with the data we have published previously, at end of every season.
Section 22(1)(a) – Information intended for future publication – can be engaged if, at the time of the request, the public authority has the intention to publish the specific information requested. Section 22 is a qualified exemption and as such makes it subject to a public interest test. In conducting a public interest test I will consider the public interest considerations in disclosing or not disclosing the requested data. Additionally, this exemption is also class based, so there is no requirement to demonstrate what harm would result from disclosing the requested information.
In recent years there has been an increase in Freedom of Information Act requests. Data collation in relation to this subject matter is carried out by a team of analysts who collate, review and interpret the data acquired. This process is well established, and ensures that data that is of the public interest is available on a regular basis, and significantly also serves to reduce the financial and administrative cost of responding to requests for information under the Act. It would be both administratively and financially prohibitive for the MPS to collate and release information in response to individual requests when the information requested will be published at some future date. The Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) guidance states ‘12. Although the public authority must hold the information at the time of the request with a view to its publication, the exemption does not require a set publication date to be in place’.
I have found that there is a public interest in providing the data in relation to your request. This would show a number of things. Firstly, the total number of officers attending the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on March 29th 2024, secondly, the total cost of policing this match and lastly, the total number of arrests made.
The MPS understands the need to proactively publish information in the current public interest. The key to engaging section 22 is that the decision to publish must have been made prior to any request for the information being received. MO6 have confirmed this decision was made prior to this request and information is published at end of every season. The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) who brings UK police leaders together to set direction in policing and drive progress for the public states, ‘The actual publication date is not required for section 22 to be engaged. However, the Act states that the publication date must be ‘reasonable’. The public interest factors favouring disclosure will be satisfied upon publication of this information and therefore I deem it appropriate to apply a section 22 exemption to this part of this request.
Disclosure
Q1 - The total number of Police officers on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
Withheld by virtue of Section 22 – please see above Reason for Decision
Q2 - The total number of Police officers on duty inside Loftus Road football stadium for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
Match commander – Supt Pirie
Tac ad & Loggist – 2 x PCs
Control Room – 2 x PS, 1 x Civilian
Spotters – 12 x PCs
Q3 - The total Cost paid by Queens Park Rangers FC for the deployment of Police officers on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
Withheld by virtue of Section 22 – please see above Reason for Decision
Q4 - The total Cost paid by the Metropolitan Police for the deployment of Police officers on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
Withheld by virtue of Section 22 – please see above Reason for Decision
Q5 - The Police forces on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
MPS & West Midlands
Q6 - The most senior ranked officer on duty for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024
Match Commander – Superintendent Beth Pirie
Q7 - The total number of riot vans deployed for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
40 carriers
Q8 - The total number of horses deployed for the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
15 horses
Q9 - The total number of arrests made in relation to the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024
Withheld by virtue of Section 22 – please see above Reason for Decision
Q10 - The total number of helicopters & drones used in relation to the Queens Park Rangers vs Birmingham City match on 29 March 2024.
0