Neil Wilby Media

In a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request to North Yorkshire Police Force, concerns about transparency have been highlighted as the force transitions from providing full outcomes of misconduct hearings to offering only anonymised summaries.

Details of the FOI Request:

The requester, York-based, nationally-known democracy advocate, Gwen Swinburn, noted the removal of detailed outcomes within a few weeks, replaced by sanitised summaries. The FOI request seeks information for the calendar year 2023, with specific enquiries aimed at understanding the transparency and accountability of the misconduct hearings.

Requested Information:

1. Complete Tabulation of Cases in 2023:

   • The FOI request seeks a comprehensive list of all cases finalised in the year 2023.

2. Full Decision Records:

   • The request asks for the original decision records, as published previously, for a few weeks only, including the names and ranks of the officers involved.

3. Transparency Protocols:

   • Inquiry into the policy and protocols regarding transparency in misconduct hearings, including details about notice of hearings, timescales, and the platforms where notices are published.

4. Timeline of Disciplinary Process:

   • For each hearing concluded in 2023, the FOI request seeks information on the date of complaint receipt and the conclusion of the disciplinary process.

5. Internal Audit Report:

   • The request includes a query about the last internal audit report, questioning when it was completed and its findings regarding the efficacy of the misconduct process.

Implications of the Request:

This FOI request raises important questions about the balance between transparency and the anonymisation of misconduct hearings. Citizens, advocacy groups and journalists often rely on the detailed information provided in full outcomes to assess the accountability of law enforcement agencies.

Response and Next Steps:

NYP is expected to respond to the FOI request within the legal time frame, which is twenty working days. Gwen, in her usual thorough, methodical way will be following up on the response to analyse and report on the transparency measures and their implications for public trust.

Conclusion:

The outcome of this FOI request could have significant implications for the public’s ability to scrutinise and understand the outcomes of misconduct hearings both within NYP and across the wider police service.

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Page last updated: Thursday 4th January, 2024 at 1005 hours

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