Local Policing Team K District

Request Number: FOI/14852

Category: Policing Themes, Operations and Investigations – Policing Other

Subject: Local Policing Team K District

Request and Answer:
Your request for information has now been considered. In respect of Section 1(1)(a) of the Act we can confirm that the Police Service of Northern Ireland does hold information to which your request relates. The decision has been taken not to supply the information you have requested and the reasons for this are set out in more detail below. We have also provided you with links to guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office which we have followed in responding to your request. 

Request 1
At the time of receiving this request, how many Local Policing Team officers work in K district?

Request 2
Can you break down the number of officers from the response above, based on their rank? Probationary constable, Constable, Sergeant, etc.

Answer to Requests 1 & 2
PSNI is withholding the information you seek and the rationale for this is provided under.

Section 17(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires the Police Service of Northern Ireland, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which:

    a. states that fact,
    b. specifies the exemption in question and
    c. states (if not otherwise apparent) why the exemption applies.

The exemption/s, as well as the factors the Department considered when deciding where the public interest lies, are listed below:

Section 31 Law Enforcement 
The full text of exemptions can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk and further guidance on how they operate can be located on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk.
Section 31 is a qualified and prejudice based exemption which means that evidence of harm and a Public Interest Test must be conducted.

Harm for Section 31
The release of this information would reveal the local policing resources available in Mid and East Antrim Policing District and consequently reveal the capabilities of the PSNI in this critical area of local policing. This would therefore both directly and indirectly impact on the prevention and detection of crime as by building up a mosaic picture of local policing assets in any Policing District will facilitate those intent on organised criminality, large scale public order disturbances with valuable information on police resources within a defined locality, in this case at District Level.

Public Interest Test  - Section 31
Section 31 - Factors Favouring Disclosure 

Disclosure of the requested information could provide transparency and demonstrate openness with regard to staffing levels in specific areas of policing.

Section 31 - Factors Favouring Non-Disclosure 

Release of information would put into the public domain PSNI staffing capabilities in this area which could allow those intent on organised criminality and major public order disturbances to have an over view of local policing assets available at District Level, in this case Mid and East Antrim Policing District which  will assist them in planning their criminality. 

Balance Test 
Although there is a public interest in the transparency of policing, PSNI has a greater duty of care to ensure that any information placed into the public domain, through FOI release does not assist those intent on criminality. As criminals will want to exploit any perceived weakness in police capabilities of the PSNI and other UK forces it is not in the public interest to provide this information.  

Decision
The balance of the public interest favours withholding the information you seek in Requests 1 and 2

The release of information under the Freedom of Information Act is a release into the public domain and not just to the individual requesting the information. Once information is disclosed by FOI there is no control or limits as to who or how the information is shared with other individuals, therefore a release under FOI is considered a disclosure to the world in general.

If you have any queries regarding your request or the decision please do not hesitate to contact me on 028 9070 0164. When contacting the Corporate Information Branch, please quote the reference number listed at the beginning of this letter.

If you are dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your request, you have the right to request a review. You should do this as soon as possible or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this letter. In the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can do so by writing to the Corporate Information Manager, Corporate Information Branch, PSNI Headquarters, 65 Knock Road, Belfast, BT5 6LE or by emailing [email protected]. 

If, following an Internal Review carried out by an independent decision maker, you remain unhappy about how your request has been handled you have the right to apply in writing to the Information Commissioner, under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act, at ‘Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. There are a number of other platforms you can use to contact the ICO and these can be found on the ICO’s website at the following link: Make a complaint | ICO (https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/).

In most circumstances, the Information Commissioner will not investigate a complaint unless an internal review procedure has been carried out however, the Commissioner has the option to investigate the matter at their discretion.

Please be advised that PSNI replies under Freedom of Information may be released into the public domain via our website @ www.psni.police.uk

Personal details in respect of your request have, where applicable, been removed to protect confidentiality.