Warrant numbers with highest number of arrests in 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.034604

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. The top 10 leading P warrant numbers with the highest number of arrests in 2023, with each listed by number of arrests in 2023.

2. The top 10 leading S warrant numbers with the highest number of arrests in 2023, with each listed by number of arrests in 2023

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 40(2)(3)&(4) - Personal Information

Reason for decision

Section 40 - Personal Information are absolute exemptions which means that the legislators have identified that harm would be caused by any release. In addition there is no requirement to consider the public interest test.

Your request asks for MPS officers with the highest number of arrests by the officers’ warrant numbers. Warrant numbers are unique to each officer, to provide these would likely identify individuals.

The Freedom of Information Act provides an exemption for Personal Data and this is known as the section 40 exemption.

The information sought under your Freedom of Information request includes the following which we consider to be Personal Data:

• Officers warrant numbers

Where the request is seeking access to third party personal data the section 40(2) exemption may be engaged.

In order to apply the Section 40(2) exemption, the disclosure of the requested information must satisfy either the first, second or third conditions as defined by subsections 3A, 3B and 4A of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (as amended by Section 58 of the Data Protection Act 2018).

The first condition ensures that the exemption would apply in circumstances where the disclosure of the information would breach any of the Data Protection Act 2018 principles.

There are six Data Protection principles set out in the 2018 Act and these can be found at section 34.

In this instance I have decided that the disclosure of the Personal Data would be incompatible with the first Data Protection principle which states that the processing (in this case the disclosure) of the data must be both lawful and fair.

Disclosure

Please see spreadsheet below. Warrant numbers have been switched to ensure no means of identification.