FOI 751/24 Custody Records
Dear Sir/Madam
Enquiry Reference: 751 - 24
I write in connection with regards to your Freedom of Information request, firstly please accept my apology for the delay. Below is your request and our response.
Custody Records and PACE Code C Compliance:
- Has your police force previously allowed (or otherwise permitted), and/or does it currently allow (or otherwise permit) the use of ellipses ("...") within custody records? Please confirm this explicitly with a 'yes' or a 'no' as your response.
- No however, because the Custody detention logs are free text, potentially a user could add them if quoting something that was said
Statutory Requirements and Compliance:
- Please provide a copy of your internal guidelines, guidance, policies, and procedures that relate to the accurate and complete recording of your Force's custody records in accordance with PACE Code C.
- No information held. There is no policy directly relating to the completing of custody records. Recording of information comes under different policies relating to Policing and security of information etc. The legislation comes from PACE Code C (2.1 onwards) and then the APP is a guidance document into the care of detained persons.
- Provide a copy of the specific internal directive, policy, guidance, and procedures (created and or updated within the last 5 years) that detail the permissible use of ellipses within your Force's custody records under your Force's internal guidelines and policies?
- No information held.
Audit and Oversight:
- Have there been any internal or external audits, reviews, or assessments of your Force's custody
record practices (within the last 10 years or alternatively, and in the public interest, such lesser period or reduced outer limit of what your Force considers to be a reasonable time- frame)? If so, please provide copies of these documents.
- We have looked at the content of your above question and must advise you that we consider the Freedom of information Act 2000 Exemption 21 (Information Accessible by other means) is engaged in relation to this request this is a class based and absolute exemption, requiring no prejudice or public interest to be considered.
If you visit the https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/
All the audits are published on this site.
- Has there been any correspondence, guidance, or instructions from oversight bodies such as the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) or Home Office regarding your Force's custody records? If so, please provide copies of these documents.
- No information held.
Additional Information:
- Please include all disclosable correspondence, directives, or communications which you hold that clarify the permissible practices for recording information in custody records under PACE Code C.
- We follow PACE Code C (2.1 onwards) and then the APP is a guidance document into the care of detained persons.
Having made enquiries above is all the information we hold.
The Cleveland Police response to your request is unique and it should be noted that Police Forces do not use generic systems or identical procedures to capture and record data therefore responses from Cleveland Police should not be used as a comparison with any other force response you receive.
If you are not satisfied with this response or any actions taken in dealing with your request, you have the right to request an independent internal review of your case under our review procedure. The Freedom of Information Code of Practice (see below link) states that a request for internal review should be made within 20 working days of the date on this response or 40 working days if extenuating circumstances to account for the delay can be evidenced. Public authorities are not obliged to accept internal reviews after this date.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice
Yours sincerely
Information Rights Decision Maker