Estimates and Analysis into County Lines Impact
Reference: 18012
Date Added: Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Category:
Disclosure Details
Question
What estimates or analysis does the OPCC hold relating or referring to the impact of "county lines" drug supply operations in your force area? Please provide copies of any such estimates/ analysis or a summary of the key statistics and findings.
Please advise me on what other information your OPCC force holds relating or referring to "county lines" drugs supply operations.
Answer
Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) in which you requested the following information:
What estimates or analysis does the OPCC hold relating or referring to the impact of "county lines" drug supply operations in your force area? Please provide copies of any such estimates/ analysis or a summary of the key statistics and findings.
Please advise me on what other information your OPCC force holds relating or referring to "county lines" drugs supply operations.
In relation to your request, I can neither confirm nor deny whether the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent (OPCC) holds the information you have requested as the duty in s1(1)(a) of the FOIA does not apply, by virtue of the following exemptions:
Section 23(5) Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters
Section 24(2) National Security
Section 31(3) Law Enforcement
Section 23(5) is an absolute and class-based exemption and so requires no harm or public interest test to be undertaken.
Section 24 and 31 is a prejudice based qualified exemption which means the evidence of harm ‘prejudice’ needs to be evidenced and the public interest considered to ensure neither confirming nor denying information is held is appropriate.
Harm
Although all efforts should be made to release information under the FOIA, to confirm or deny whether information is or is not held regarding county lines could not only undermine ongoing investigations, but also national security.
The security of the country is of utmost importance and the OPCC will not divulge whether information is or is not held if to do so would compromise this. Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing operations and providing assurance that the police service is appropriately and effectively engaging with the threat posed by county lines activity, there is a very strong public interest in safeguarding both national security and the integrity of police investigations and operations in the highly sensitive areas of which they work.
Confirming or denying whether any information is held relevant to the request would reveal where policing interest has or has not occurred in any specific area which would enable those engaged in criminal activity to identify the focus of policing targets and identify vulnerable parts of the UK.
Factors favouring confirmation or denial for Section 24
Confirmation or denial that any information exists relevant to the request would lead to a better informed public. The public are entitled to know how public funds are spent especially regarding safeguards to national security.
Factors favouring confirmation or denial for Section 24
Other organisations outside the police service may, or may not have an active interest in the subject of the question above. By confirming or denying that any information exists relevant to the request would harm the close relationship that exists between the forces and other organisations. To confirm or deny whether the OPCC holds any information relevant to the request would allow inferences to be made about the nature and extent of national security related activities which may or may not take place in a given area. This would enable criminal groups to take steps to counter intelligence, and as such, confirmation or denial would be damaging to national security.
By confirming or denying any policing arrangements of this nature would render national security measures less effective. This would lead to the compromise of ongoing or future operations to protect the security or infrastructure of the UK and increase the risk of harm to the public.
Factors favouring confirmation or denial for Section 31
Confirmation or denial that any information exists relevant to the request would lead to a better informed public. The public are entitled to know how public funds are spent especially regarding safeguards to national security.
Factors Against Confirmation or Denial for Section 31
To confirm or deny that law enforcement holds this information could reduce the effectiveness of law enforcement tactics which would lead to a hindrance on the police forces ability to prevent and detect crimes. Vulnerable areas could be detected by force level disclosure leading to more criminal activity placing members of the public in harms way. If information is released confirming or denying that requests have been made this may impact police resources as vulnerable forces may need to increase their resources to reassure the public and protect the surrounding community.
Balancing Test
The Police Service is charged with enforcing the law, preventing and detecting crime and protecting the communities we serve and maintaining the integrity of its information systems. These roles are of paramount importance and the OPCC for Gwent will not divulge information if to do so would place the capability of policing partners to perform its functions effectively and securely, at risk. Therefore, at this moment in time, it is our opinion that for these issues the balancing test for disclosure is not made out.
The FOIA is a public disclosure regime, not a private regime. Any information disclosed under the FOIA is thereafter deemed to be in the public domain, and therefore freely available to the public.
I hope this information is satisfactory to your request however, should you feel dissatisfied with this response or the way in which your request was handled, information on the OPCC Freedom of Information Appeals Procedure can be found on our website: www.gwent.pcc.police.uk/freedom-of-information/appeals-process/
Furthermore, you are reminded of your right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office who can be contacted at the following address:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF