FOI Out of court settlement/ compensation payments (0497-2022/23)

Response

Under the Freedom of Information Act could you please provide the following information: 

Please could you provide the following information broken down by calendar years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 (or the latest available data):

1. a) the number of cases where your police force has paid an out of court settlement or paid compensation to individuals
1. b) the nature of the cases where compensation or settlement has been paid. For example, this could mean 'wrongful arrest', 'loss of property', 'excessive force or assault' etc.
1. c) the sum the force has paid in damages or to settle these complaints 
If possible, please could you provide a breakdown for each year by the age of the complainant.                    
2. a) the total number of allegations of misconduct or gross misconduct made against officers in your force
2. b) the number of officers who have retired from your force while there is an active allegation of misconduct or gross misconduct against them
2. c) the number of officers in your force who have resigned before misconduct, gross misconduct or other disciplinary proceedings have completed
Confirmation received 12/10/22:
To confirm, yes – I am asking for data surrounding payment of damages relating to Public Liability claims only.

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.

 

Response

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you.

Q1a. Please see the below table which shows the number of payments made to individuals from 1 January 2019 to 20 October 2022, broken down by year.

2019	2020	2021	2022	Total
40	45	37	20	142

 

Q1b. The nature of the complaints made are as follows;

• Damage to or loss of personal property
• Ex Gratia
• Damage to building
• False imprisonment
• Other
• Assault
• Personal injury
• Negligence
• Human Rights Act claims
• Misfeasance

 

Q1c. Please see the below table which shows the total amount of the payments made to individuals from 1 January 2019 to 20 October 2022, broken down by year.

2019	2020	2021	2022	Total
£65,528.14	£27,652.48	£84,503.36	£23,865.25	£201,549.23

 

Please note we do not record the age of the complainants so this information cannot be provided.

 

Q2a. Please see the below table which shows the total number of allegations of misconduct or gross misconduct made against officers from 1 January 2019 to 31 March 2022, broken down by year.

2019	2020	2021	2022	Total
12	6	16	2	36

 

Q2b & c. The number of officers who have retired or resigned (this information is not held separately) from North Yorkshire Police during an active allegation of misconduct or gross misconduct against them, broken down by year.

2019	2020	2021	2022	Total
1	2	0	0	36

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.