FOI Pub Watch Schemes (0791-2024/25)

Request
Q1. I would like to know the process followed regarding the support the police provide to local pub watch schemes. 

Q2. What is the information sharing policy. 

Q3. Do the police assist pub watch in serving the letters to offenders who are to be placed on pubwatch.

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 following information to you.

Q1. Local pub watch schemes are run by local licensed premises who form a committee including a Chair/Vice Chair and Secretary. It is for the local pub watch to determine who they invite but they will generally will link in with local Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) Officers whose responsibility it is to ensure an Information Sharing Agreement (ISA) is in place for sharing information.

Licensing Officers have been invited to attend meetings and would share information under the Licensing Act 2003, best practice, local initiatives such as Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)/Ask for Angela, and any national campaigns such as Spiking.

Q2 & 3. An ISA would not be signed unless the pub watch was formally registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. If a pub watch is registered it can be found on the ICO register using the below link:

Information Commissioner's Office - Register of data protection fee payers - Entry list

In order for the police to share specific information regarding inviduals with licensed premises, an ISA would need to be in place, or be as a result of court orders or police bail conditions specific to the prevention of crime and disorder.

Local NPTs can confirm whether an ISA is in place and local arrangements as to whether letters are served to those nominated. 

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.