Seizure of smart metres in the last 12 months

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.033972

I note you seek access to the following information:

How many digital smart plugs have been seized in the last 12 months?

What break down of offenses/incidents were they seized in relation to?

Do you keep records of how many of these cases progressed to court, and if so, any further records of where smart plug data formed part of the evidence?

Is the examination of digital smart plugs within any digital forensic accreditation scope (eg ISO 17025) held at your organisation?

What tools or techniques do you use to examine smart plugs?

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 30(1)(a)(b) - Investigations and Proceedings conducted by public authorities

Reason for decision

This request is asking what tools or techniques the MPS use to examine smart plugs.

Your FOIA request specifically asks for information that, if held, would relate to investigations which the MPS has had a duty to conduct. Consequently, the request relates to specific techniques regarding investigations, as such, this increases the harm that would be caused by disclosure.

Section 30(1)(a)(b) - Investigations and Proceedings conducted by public authorities - of the Act provides an exemption from disclosure of information which would, or would be likely to, prejudice law enforcement functions, namely the prevention and detection of crime or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders. This information would be held for a policing purpose and therefore the MPS do not believe details of what tools or techniques the MPS use to examine smart plugs should be made public.

The MPS is charged with enforcing the law and preventing and detecting crime. Any information released under the Act which reveals information related to the gathering of intelligence, police strategies and investigations would prejudice the prevention and detection of crime and the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.

Release of the information detailing the tools or techniques used to examine smart plugs would have the effect of compromising law enforcement processes and would also hinder the ability of the MPS to fulfil its primary aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public during day to day policing.

I consider that the benefit that would result from the information being disclosed does not outweigh the considerations favouring non-disclosure.

Disclosure

I have numbered the questions within your request for ease of reference.

Q1 - How many digital smart plugs have been seized in the last 12 months?
Q2 - What break down of offenses/incidents were they seized in relation to?
Q3 - Do you keep records of how many of these cases progressed to court, and if so, any further records of where smart plug data formed part of the evidence?

The MPS hold no information.

Q4 - Is the examination of digital smart plugs within any digital forensic accreditation scope (eg ISO 17025) held at your organisation?

No, the examination of digital smart plugs are not within any digital forensic accreditation scope regarding the MPS

Q5 - What tools or techniques do you use to examine smart plugs?

Section 30(1)(a)(b) – Investigations FoIA exemption has been applied.