Public Order Events

Can I have the following information:

1. General body of statistics relating to the total number of public order events hosted and policed in your territorial area annually in the last five years (04-05, 05-06, 06-07, 07-08, 08-09) and the number of disturbances (if any) at these events.
2. From your police perspective what are the major public order instances (or events) in the last 5 years in your area? If any, statistics relating to the nature of disturbances / offences at the major events?
3. What types of violence have been used against the police in the last 5 years at the major events?
4. What are the characteristics of the offenders? Or offending groups?
5. What are the reasons for the use of violence towards the police?

In accordance with section 1(1) (a) of the Act our response is provided below;

Can I first of all apologise for the short delay in providing your response. The staff who deal with this area of policing are front line officers who's existing commitments are many.

In respect of Questions 1, 2 & 3 we are unable to provide this information as the research required to locate and extract such information would, it is estimated, exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is defined in the Data Protection and Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004, which is covered by statutory Instrument Number 3244 of 2004. Furthermore, Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 allows a public authority to refuse to respond to a request for information where the cost of compliance would exceed the appropriate limit as defined by the above mentioned regulations.

Some of the issues we looked at in respect of this request are the facts that a major public order event could be termed as such for any number of reasons e.g. cost, number of officers, number of offences. It will depend on what information we hold and whether they are categorised as 'major'.

Risk and threat assessments are carried out in respect of all events, in line with intelligence and experience available, in order to assess the proportionate policing response.

It is unlikely that incidences of violence against officers would be recorded against any specific event but in accordance with the Home Office crime classification.

Question 4 & 5: We do not hold this information.