Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service

The complainant has requested information about the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (the “NPOIU”) and the Special Demonstration Squad (the “SDS”) which fall under the remit of the Metropolitan Police Service (the MPS). The MPS provided some information but withheld the remainder citing the exemptions at sections 23(1)(security bodies) and, in the alternative, 24(1)(national security), 30(2)(investigations & proceedings) and 40(2) (personal information) of the FOIA; it also refused to confirm or deny holding further information by virtue of section 23(5)(security bodies). The Commissioner has decided that section 30(2) has been properly cited in relation to all of the requested information and that the public interest is best served by maintaining the exemption. No steps are required but the Commissioner does note procedural breaches in respect of timeliness.