FOI Force Management Systems (16-2024/25)
Request
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act regarding the maintenance systems and associated software used within the force.
Specifically, I would like to request the following information:
Q1.The name(s) of the software used for maintenance management systems (Typically known as CMMS, EAM, Asset Management, Facilities Management) within the force.
Q2. The number of users licensed to use the maintenance management system software.
Q3. The annual cost associated with the maintenance management system software.
Q4. The individual or department responsible for managing and overseeing the maintenance management system software.
Q5. The expiration date of the current contract(s) for the maintenance management system software.
Additionally, I would also like to request information regarding the following:
Q6. The software used to manage the allocation of equipment within the force.
Q7. The software used for maintaining buildings, vehicles, PPE, firearms etc.
Q8. The software used for registering accidents or damages within all equipment or assets owned or leased within the force.
Q9. How failures of equipment, machinery, vehicles, and supplies are logged within the force.
Q10. Name of software used to ensure equipment, machinery and any other items are fit for use for example periodic testing and calibration, for example fire extinguishers, PPE & vehicles.
Response
Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information
To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police. I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.
Q1. MRI Planet
Q2. 10
Q3. £5,344.00
Q4. Estates Team
Q5. 30/03/2026
Q6. Tranman
Q7. Buildings – MRI Planet
Vehicles – Tranman
Equipment – MS Office
Q8. Tranman and MS Office
Q9. This information is exempt – please see the full exemption explanation below.
Q10. MRI Planet, Tranman & MS Office
Exemption Explanation
Section 31 – Law Enforcement
Section 31 is a prejudice-based qualified exemption and there is a requirement to articulate the harm as well as carrying out a public interest test.
Evidence of Harm
As you may be aware, disclosure under FOIA is a release to the public at large. Whilst not questioning the motives of the applicant, releasing any information held regarding the logging of machine or vehicle failures, it would allow criminals to note what capacity and tactical capabilities the force had, allowing them to target specific areas of the UK to conduct their criminal/terrorist activities. This would lead to an increase in harm of attacks and compromise Law Enforcement. This would be to the detriment of providing an efficient policing service and a failure in providing a duty of care to all members of the public.
Information that undermines the operational integrity of the police will adversely affect public safety and have a negative impact on both national security and law enforcement.
Factors favouring disclosure under Section 31
Releasing information held relating to the logging of machine or vehicle failures would provide an insight into the police resources and enable the public to have a better understanding of the effectiveness of the police.
It would show how public funds are being spent in relation to protecting the public.
Information would ensure transparency and accountability and enable the public to see what tactics are deployed by the Police Service to tackle/assist in supporting the force’s ability to fight crime.
Factors against disclosure under Section 31
It has been recorded that FOIA releases are monitored by criminals and terrorists and so releasing information held relating to the logging of machine or vehicle failures would undermine and compromise law enforcement and it would also hinder any local, regional or national operations.
It can be argued that there are significant risks associated with providing information in relation to any aspects that can assist criminal planning and that any nation’s security arrangements, by releasing the information, may reveal the relative vulnerability of what we may be trying to protect.
The Police Service would not wish to reveal resource information that would undermine the law enforcement operations and would impact on police resources, as more crime would be committed because criminals/terrorists would know which forces had less/more capability. This in turn would place the public at a greater risk and a fear of crime would be realised, especially for more vulnerable areas.
Balance test
The security of the public and the country is of paramount importance and the Police service will not divulge the resources, if to do so would place the safety of individuals at risk, due to providing freely available (single point) information under such requests and which in turn would undermine National Security or compromise law enforcement.
Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing resources and providing assurance that the police service is appropriately prepared and effectively engaging with the threat posed by various groups or individuals, there is a very strong public interest in safeguarding the integrity of police resources and operations in the highly sensitive areas such as extremism, crime prevention, public disorder and terrorism prevention.
As much as there is public interest in knowing that policing activity is appropriate and balanced this will only be overridden in exceptional circumstances. It is our opinion that for these issues the balancing test for exempting your request for this information is not made out.
Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice in response to part of your request.
Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data. It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.