Information Commissioner's Office

Dorset Police

4 December 2017, Police and criminal justice

The complainant submitted a multi part request for information relating to motoring offences committed by Dorset Police staff. Dorset Police said that it did not hold some of the information described in the request. It refused the remainder of the request on the grounds that compliance would exceed the costs limit under section 12(1) of the FOIA (cost of compliance exceeds appropriate limit). The Commissioner’s decision is that, on the balance of probabilities, Dorset Police did not hold some of the information requested. The Commissioner also found that Dorset Police was entitled to rely on section 12(1) to refuse to comply with the remainder of the request. However, the Commissioner found that Dorset Police breached section 16(1) of the FOIA as it failed to provide sufficient advice and assistance to the complainant. The Commissioner requires Dorset Police to provide the complainant with relevant advice and assistance as to which questions can be considered within the appropriate limit, and any ways in which questions 10 and 11 may be refined so that they may be considered within the appropriate limit.

FOI 10: Not upheld FOI 12: Not upheld FOI 16: Upheld