Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service

The complainant has requested information about two named police officers who had arrested him in 2006. The Metropolitan Police Service (the ‘MPS’) would neither confirm nor deny holding information about the officers, citing section 40(5)(b)(i) of the FOIA. During the Commissioner’s investigation the MPS revised its position, additionally relying on section 40(5)(a)(i) in that the requested information relates to the complainant personally and, if held, would be his own personal data. The Commissioner is satisfied that it was correct to rely on 40(5)(a)(i). No steps are required. Information Tribunal appeal EA/2016/0070 allowed.