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back to article Police complaints body gets a kicking for FOI law-breaking

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been given a truncheoning for ignoring Freedom of Information requests from the public. The Information Commissioner issued the IPPC with an enforcement notice requiring it give an initial response to requests within the legal timeframe of 20 days. The notice follows …

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  1. Dodgy Geezer Silver badge
    Welcome

    Wf

    "...If the IPCC ignores the enforcement notice too, the Information Commissioner will have the option of taking it to the High Court, for contempt of court..."

    However, Police Chief Constables have been known before now (vide Jim Bates) to announce that they will ignore any legal instruction from a court, presumably because they are above the Law....

    and in that case, the Information Commissioner might find himself falling down a flight of stairs, banged up for an indefinite period without charge and accused of being a kiddyfiddler on the strength of the photo of his daughter on his desk...

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      he ain't wearing no clothes

      ...banged up as a communist, terrorist, consipiracy theorising Jew witch paedophile, no doubt.

      1 1
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The IPCC now has until 30 September to clear the backlog

    30 September is 3 and half months away , close to 100 days. At the very most they should be given the 20 days they should have replied in?

    The police ignore FOI requests and are then given five times more time than they initially had to respond. Not exactly an incentive to do better is it....

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  3. Stephane Mabille
    Stop

    As usual

    Business as usual, Police ignoring the law with a strong belief they are above it...

    Maybe the IPCC is not that proud of hushing everything, worst case scenario, giving a slap on the wrist... (Be warned: 5 times and you get a blame, 5 blames and you might not be eligible for bonus).

    How many murders (Ian Tomlinson for example), assaults (any Climate camp), abuses of the law (blanket stop&search, section 44) have just been pushed under the carpet or even worst returned against the victims (yeah, you were looking for trouble, taking picture of your 6yo niece on Oxford street... not sure to charge you with paedophilia or terrorism) ?

    A great to restore faith in Policing by Consent... download your fact sheets, know your rights, limit your interactions with the police to the strict minimum imposed by the law (which isn't much); tell them why: "It's nothing personal but I won't be more cooperative while I don't have trust in the force. It might only be some rotten apples but when you do everything to hide them at the bottom of the basket after a while the whole basket stink". (Show/prove them that you know your rights first... just in case).

    STOP: Because of Stop & Search and because it has to stop!

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  4. Gulfie
    FAIL

    Maybe they are applying section 44?

    I think it's 44. Anyway... clearly the failure to respond is down to their inability to take PHOTOcopies of documents as part of their response - they'd have to arrest themselves and lose their own cameras.

    But I agree, 100 days to clear the backlog is more like a well done than a pyrotechnic up the rear entrance.

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  5. Columbus
    FAIL

    lack of knowledge

    Given that the staff in the FOI/ DPA department of the IPCC have no idea of the differences in the legislation, what constitutes personal data or even what day of the week it is( allegedly) I am astonished that anybody has even bothered to complain. The case management system is breathtakingly inefficient/ineffective/crap ( chose one or more depending upon your experience) From my experience I would surmise they didn't respond due to a arse/elbow misconfiguration issue.

    I was asked for my original passport AND driving licence to be sent to them and was told that they probably didn't process any personal data as they only dealt with police complaints. I was told it would take a couple of months for them to check, They knew I should give them £10 quid though...

    Epic Fail

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  6. Alan Firminger

    But

    the Independant Police Complaints Commision is what it says on the tin - independant. It is not a part of the police. That said there are a lot of ex coppers who work there.

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    1. BlackMage
      Reply Icon
      FAIL

      Apparently a default or empty title is beyond El Reg's web coders FFS...

      I think you'll be needing a new dictionary, old chap. Independent does not mean "stuffed with old cronies and ex-colleagues who'll never accept any failing on the part of their personal special interest group"...

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    2. Skipraider
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Down

      Re. But

      Erm, yes, in theory and on paper the IPCC is 'independent'.

      However, the vast majority of complaints received by the IPCC are referred to the police force about who the complaint is being made, for internal investigation.

      That's right, the police force being complained about investigates itself.

      Very independent.

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  7. Winkypop Silver badge
    FAIL

    REDACTED

    Thank you for your FOI request

    REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED

    Thank you

    Chief Plodd

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  8. Sam Therapy

    @Skipraider

    Yep. I'm pursuing several complaints against South Yorkshire Police and that's exactly what's happening here.

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