FOI 65618
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 65618
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 22nd March 2021. Please find below the response to your request:
Please may I request the following under the FOI act:
1) The number of arrests made for dog theft in your constabulary in each calendar month from 1st January 2019 to 22nd March 2021 inclusive, broken down by calendar month (ie. a single number for January 2019, a single number for February 2019 etc).
Reply:-
I can confirm that West Mercia Police holds this information.
2019 – no arrests
2020 – 2 arrests
2021 – 1 arrest
The information has not been given by month as this could potentially identify an individual please see exemption below.
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires West Mercia 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.
The exemption applicable to the information is:
Section 40 (1)(2) Personal information
This is an absolute exemption
Please be advised that any information released as a result of a Freedom of Information request, in effect, is being released into the public domain. Therefore, it could subsequently be published or would have to be made available to any member of the public if it were requested.
Any information that relates to an individual, or from which an individual could be identified, constitutes personal data and to release information that constitutes personal data into the public domain contravenes the Data Protection Act 2018. The information that you have requested relates to personal data and/or personal data of a third party/parties and therefore it is exempt from disclosure, the exemption that applies to this type of information is Section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.