The Freedom of Information Act 2000 creates a public 'right of access' to information that is held by public authorities. Police forces are public authorities. Each force has Freedom of Information Officers who are responsible for ensuring that the force as a public authority complies with two obligations, being:
1 To publish certain information about their activities; and
2 To answer requests from members of the public for information
Most forces also have a freedom of information webpage on their site, which gives details of information that is already publicly available, such as a Crime Map, Home Office Crime Statistics, etc and a record of all requests previously disclosed.
The Act covers all recorded information held by a public authority, for example official documents, drafts, emails, notes, etc.
To make a freedom of information to your local police force, use the online form. The police will respond to your request as soon as practicable, and in any case within 20 working days.
Although the Freedom of Information Act permits disclosure of information, in certain circumstances, exemptions can apply. For example, under a Freedom of Information request, the police will not release information that contains personal details. If you want to make a request for information containing your own personal data, see Q87: How can I find out what information the police hold on their systems about me? I want to check it is correct.
