MUTUAL AID and NUM DISPUTE 1984 to 1985
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.035665
I note you seek access to the following information:
I would please like to make a further FOI request for access to material held by the MPS. In particular, I would like to request access to the information held in record no.15, from the list of files located (supplied in response to my previous FOI). The file number is OG27/85/4, and the file name: 'MUTUAL AID and NUM DISPUTE 1984 to 1985'. (In the notes, it says this is probably the same file as no.14.)
According to the contents list, OG27/85/4 should specifically include:
Daily situation reports (deployments, Arrests, Sickness, Admin, Discipline, NRC, Damages, Injuries) from 01/03/1984 to 07/03/1985.
Weekly district Commitments listing UK Forces Ops Orders.
Computer manpower printout detailing amount of officers deployed/ranks from UK forces
It is this information contained in this single file (record no.15 - OG27/85/4) that I would please like to see.
However, if this file is deemed too large to process within the confines of a single FOI request, then I would please like you to treat this FOI more narrowly as a request for the Weekly district Commitments listing UK Forces Ops Orders only.”
Following receipt of your request, I have conducted searches to locate information relevant to your request. These searches located the file titled:
“OG/27/85/4 - Mutual Aid Num Dispute 19884-1985: Metropolitan Police Daily Situation Reports and Manpower Statistics”.
I have considered this file for release and can confirm that the time required to redact a file of this size, would have resulted in the refusal of your request under the provisions of Section 14 (burdensome requests) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). In view of this, I have considered your request for the following information as stipulated in your initial request for information:
“Weekly district Commitments listing UK Forces Ops Orders only.”
Having reviewed the file, I can confirm that this information is held by the MPS.
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)&(3A)(a) - Personal Information
Reason for decision
Section 40(2)&(3A)(a) - Personal Information - of the Act provides that any information to which a request for information relates, is exempt information if the first condition of Section 40(3A)(a) is satisfied. The first condition of Section 40(3A)(a) states that personal information is exempt if its disclosure would contravene any of the data protection principles.
There are six principles that are set out in Article 5(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that dictate when the processing of personal data is lawful. The first principle requires that any processing of personal data must be lawful, fair and transparent. Under Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR, the disclosure of personal data is considered to be lawful if:
a. There is a legitimate interest in the disclosure of that personal data.
b. The disclosure of the personal data is necessary to meet that legitimate interest.
c. The disclosure would not cause unwarranted harm to the data subject.
The MPS Data Office does not hold information that would confirm to the standard required to process personal data under the Act, whether each former officer is currently alive or deceased. The decisions made in connection with this request for information have accordingly, given appropriate regard to each former officer’s rights as set out by the Data Protection Act 2018. In this regard, I have not disclosed the following information:
1. The names of former police officers
2. The shoulder numbers of former police officers
Please note that shoulder numbers have been refused, as they are assigned to a single identifiable officer during a period of their service. This information is accordingly, a unique identifier for a police officer.
Have considered the legitimate interest test in respect of this personal data, I have found that:
a. The disclosure of the requested personal data would satisfy legitimate interests in transparency and accountability, given that the personal data relates to each officer’s professional role with the police service.
b. This disclosure of the requested personal data is necessary to satisfy the legitimate interest identified at point a.
c. Retired police officers that have held senior positions may expect information about their roles to be made available to the public whilst in service with the police. It is unlikely however, that they would anticipate or expect the MPS to release their names and shoulder numbers nearly 40 years after performing a role with the police service. The release and publication of each officer’s name and shoulder number would accordingly be unexpected and potentially distressing to them. In this regard, I believe that the disclosure of this personal data would be likely to cause unwarranted harm to the data subjects in this request. The requested personal data has accordingly been withheld from release under this exemption.
The provision to refuse access to information under Section 40(2)(a)(b) and (3A)(a) of the Act is both absolute and class based. When this exemption is claimed, it is accepted that harm would result from disclosure. There is accordingly no requirement to demonstrate what that harm may be in refusing access to information.
Disclosure
Having identified and considered the located information for release, I have found that the following information is exempt from the Weekly District Commitments:
1. The names of former police officers
2. The shoulder numbers of former police officers
DUTY TO ADVISE AND ASSIST
Under Section 16 of the Act, there is a duty to advise and assist those that have made, or intend to make, a request for information. In accordance with this duty, I can confirm that the MPS publishes information about various types of crime on its website. I have provided a link to this information below.
MPS Website: Stats and Data
Additionally the MPS publishes all disclosures made in response to requests made under the Act on its website. I have provided a link to this information below.
MPS Website: Publication Scheme
The MPS Publication Scheme can be searched using keywords. This website may accordingly hold information that is of interest to you.