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Request:
Q1. The location of all buildings currently owned or occupied by your organisation.
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. Some of the information you have requested is published on the North Yorkshire Police website under the following link
Find a police station | North Yorkshire Police
I have therefore decided to exempt providing you with a response pursuant to Section 21 Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act).
9 Quarry Bank, Malton, YO17 7HA |
10 Quarry Bank, Malton, YO17 7HA |
11 Quarry Bank, Malton, YO17 7HA |
12 Quarry Bank, Malton, YO17 7HA |
13 Quarry Bank, Malton, YO17 7HA |
14 Quarry Bank, Malton, YO17 7HA |
3 Wood Lane, Grassington, BD23 5LU |
Solberge Hall Kennels, Land & Buildings, Solberge, Newby Wiske, Northallerton, DL7 9ER |
Cold Kirby, North Yorkshire, YO7 2HL |
Hurgill Road, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL10 4TD |
Ravenscar, North Yorkshire, YO13 0ER |
Portholme Road, Selby, North Yorkshire, YO8 4QQ |
Dunhazels mast, Wigglesworth, Settle, BD23 4RS |
Police House, Bobbies Bank, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 1ED |
York Divisional Police Headquarters, Fulford Road, York, YO10 4BY |
Barton Motorway Post, Barton, North Yorkshire, DL10 5NH |
Vale House, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3BX |
York Control Room, Fulford Road, York, YO10 4BY |
Athena House Kettlestring Lane Clifton Moor York, YO30 4XF |
Multi Agency Services Hub West Offices Station Rise York, YO1 6GA |
Alverton Court Crosby Road Northallerton, DL6 1BF |
Transport & Logistics Hub, Europark Station Road, Thirsk, YO7 1QH |
Selby LPO Civic Centre Doncaster Road Selby, YO8 9FT |
Boroughbridge Fire Station Back Lane Boroughbridge North Yorkshire, YO51 9AT |
16 Crosby Road Northallerton, DL6 1AA |
Ripon Local Police Office Ripon Fire Station Stonebridgegate Ripon, HG4 1LH |
Acer House Hackness Road Northminster Business Park Upper Poppleton York, YO26 6QR |
Pateley Bridge Local Police Office, Room G25, Former Council Offices, King Street, Pateley Bridge HG3 5LE |
Leyburn Fire Station, Grove Square, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5AE |
With regard to the disclosure of sites that are not signposted as a police facility, the following exemption applies:
Section 31(1)(a)(b) – Law Enforcement
The exemption above is qualified and prejudice based therefore both a Public Interest Test and Harm Test are required.
Section 21 – Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means
Section 21 is an absolute class based exemption and I am not required to consider the harm or public interest when applying this exemption.
Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.
Harm
Disclosure of full information on police buildings and facilities, such as a location, could be of intelligence value to a person or persons with criminal or malicious intent. Full disclosure could provide and enable targeted malicious actions, such as some form of attack on an operational unit for example, where strengths and weakness may be perceived (whether incorrectly or not).
Additionally, law enforcement tactics and operational capability would be compromised with the disclosure of all facility details, such as that relating to unmarked buildings, as those who wish to commit criminal acts will be more aware of locations that may belong to the force in a covert or sensitive role and assist with preventing and detecting crime. Such a disclosure would allow those with criminal intent the ability to build up a mosaic picture of force capabilities and resources and use this information to undermine law enforcement. This places the community at increased unnecessary risk of harm and impacts on police resources if additional resources and tactics need to be put in place to counter any harm caused by an adverse FOIA disclosure.
Public Interest Test
Factors favouring disclosure
There is a legitimate public interest in the public being satisfied that the police force has an adequate number of buildings and facilities, such as public counters and police points, to deliver services to the public when required.
Factors favouring non-disclosure
The Police Service has a duty to deliver effective law enforcement ensuring that the prevention and detection of crime, apprehension or prosecution of offenders and administration of justice is carried out appropriately.
Disclosing information that would allow the identification of all occupied locations may reveal what resources are available for a given area, and this information could enable police strength to be determined and circumvented by those intent on committing crime. The release of this information could therefore provide a tactical advantage to offenders which would negatively impact on public safety and undermine the policing purpose.
Disclosing the details of covert or sensitive sites would provide sufficient information to those involved in criminal activity of the capabilities available to the force when carrying out covert activities in certain areas. This could result in them taking steps to evade detection and to destroy evidence if they believe that their movements are being monitored. This could also lead to buildings, vehicles and officers being identified which would render their covert capabilities useless.
Balance Test
It is not in the public interest for law enforcement tactics and operational capability to be compromised with the disclosure of details of covert or sensitive sites utilised by the force, as those who wish to commit criminal acts will be more aware of the locations in operation to assist with preventing and detecting crime.
Such a disclosure that would allow those with criminal intent the ability to build up a mosaic picture of force capabilities and resources which could be used to undermine law enforcement. This would not be in the public interest.
Disclosure is also not in the public interest as it places the community at increased unnecessary risk of harm and impacts on police resources. This is especially the case if additional tactics/resources need to be put in place to counter harm caused by an adverse FOIA request regarding police vehicles.
Section S23(5)
North Yorkshire Police can neither confirm nor deny that it holds any other information with regard to an exempt body as the duty in Section 1(1)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply by virtue of the following exemption:
Section 23(5) Information Supplied by, or concerning, certain Security Bodies
Section 23 is a class based absolute exemption and there is no requirement to consider the public interest in this case.
Confirming or denying the existence of whether any other information is held would contravene the constrictions laid out within Section 23 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in that this stipulates a generic bar on disclosure of any information applied by, or concerning, certain Security Bodies.
Harm – S24
Confirmation or denial that any further information is held relevant to this request would enable a geographical picture to be drawn up at force level, as well as a national level, about whether there are joint operational locations utilised and embedded by other law enforcement personnel; whether or not operating in concert with police officers of the host Constabulary. This would be vital police intelligence to individuals, some of whom may be terrorists or terrorist organisations, who are intent on targeting locations specifically utilised by Law Enforcement.
Confirmation or denial that any other information is held would leave forces open to disruption and compromise the effective delivery of operational law enforcement which in turn, is met by an increase of criminal offending. Any disclosure that undermines the generic terms of duty of care provided by policing and Law Enforcement would be detrimental to the public at large.
In short, any incident that results from confirming that any other information is or isn’t held would by default affect National Security.
Factors favouring confirmation that information is held
To confirm whether any other information is held relating to this request would better inform the general public as to the existence of policing and law enforcement capabilities within specific geographical locations. In turn, this can increase public confidence with the likely effect of dissuading mal-actors from operating within specific areas or regions.
Factors favouring denial that information is held
Taking into account the current security climate within the United Kingdom, no information which may aid a terrorist should be disclosed.
Security measures are put in place to protect the community that we serve. To confirm whether any other information is held relevant to this request would provide a detailed account of the tactical infrastructure of not only a force area but also the country as a whole. This would highlight to terrorists and individuals intent on carrying out criminal or terrorist activity any vulnerabilities within the localities of specific forces.
Confirmation, if held, would also allow inferences to be made about the nature and extent of national security related activities. This could enable terrorist groups to target sensitive police locations, and as such, confirmation or denial would be damaging to national security. This would lead to the compromise of ongoing or future operations to protect the security or infra-structure both within the UK and Internationally.
Irrespective as to whether any information is or isn’t held, the public entrust the Police Service to make appropriate decisions with regard to their safety and protection and the only way of reducing risk is to be cautious with what is placed into the public domain.
Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice in response to 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.