Freedom of Information Section

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Freedom of Information Section Information Compliance Unit Professional Standards and Legal Services Department Durham Constabulary HQ Aykley Heads Aiming for Durham EXCELLENCE DH1 5TT

Tel. No: 101 Extn 6612487 Fax No: (0191) 3752760 Web Site: www.durham.police.uk E-mail: [email protected] Our Ref: HP/ICU/DC/FOI/271/12

Date: 31 May 2012

This matter is being dealt with by Hilary Penfold, Information Officer, Telephone No 0191 3752935

Dear Mr Badger

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO:271/12

I write in connection with your request for information dated 8 May 2012 which was received by Durham Constabulary on that date. I note you seek access to the following information:

Could you give me the detailed figures (spreadsheet if possible)for all police raids on houses suspected of growing cannabis, also detailing all other types of premises which are raided and how many of these raids found "NO" cannabis growing since 2005 or as early as possible.

Also on the houses raided how many claims were made against the police:

1. for damage to property 2. the amounts paid out on each claim 3. how long it took to pay their claims. 4. the amounts claimed on each occasion. 5. who paid these claims? (insurance company/force budget) 6. if insurance which company was it (and the yearly premium paid)

7. If possible could you also separate each local divisions yearly spend on such safeguards against people committing such victimless crimes as growing cannabis for personal use and those who are growing on a large commercial scale for profit.

8. Could you also break down the annual budget set aside for harmful crimes against harmless crimes where there is no victim such as growing cannabis and traffic offences such as speeding tickets and other victimless road traffic offences.

9. How many arrests were made each year from 2005 for Victimless crimes and how many were charged and how many were convicted of these charges.

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I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to handle all requests in a manner that is blind as to the identity and motives of the requestor. Any information released as a response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore in the public domain without caveat.

Please note that Durham Constabulary’s response to your request is unique and should not be used as a comparison with any other Force response you receive.

Following receipt of your request, searches were conducted with the Tasking & Coordination Command and Executive Command of Durham Constabulary.

Decision:

Your request has now been considered and I am not obliged to provide the information that you have requested.

Please note that whilst Durham Constabulary holds information in relation to claims against the force, I have established that there is currently no facility to easily access the information that you require in relation to cannabis raid claims. To retrieve accurate data in relation to claims made against the force as a result of cannabis raids would require a member of staff to individually check all claim records to establish the nature of the claim for each case, i.e. a manual viewing and extraction of information from all 2,543 claims recorded since 2007. At a conservative estimate, this would take at least 10 minutes per individual record held. The cost of providing you with the information is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond. This is because the cost of identification, and retrieval of the information EXCEEDS the “appropriate limit” as stated in the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004 and Fees for Disclosure under Section 13 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The appropriate limit is £450 or 18 hours work at £25.00 per hour. I would also refer you to the Freedom of Information Regulations issued by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. Accordingly therefore, I will be unable to provide any information in relation to your request under Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

In accordance with Section 17(5) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter represents a Refusal Notice for this particular request.

Once one part of a request attracts a cost exemption then the whole request attracts that exemption and we are not obliged to continue with the remainder of the request. However, please be advised that should you wish to redefine and resubmit your request, I can carry out further research in regard to your first question in relation to cannabis and question 9.

Also, in order to be of assistance outwith the Act, I can inform you that in regard to your questions 7 and 8 no information is held by this force as our budgets are not ratified as a breakdown in the format you have requested.

I do hope that the information provided is sufficient for your purposes and is of assistance to you.

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right to complain.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or contact me on the above telephone number.

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Yours sincerely

Hilary Penfold Information Officer

Personal Mr J Badger Email: [email protected]

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