Kent Police

The complainant requested information relating to Kent Police’s internal force guidance on a number of topics, including the investigation of domestic abuse. Kent Police provided some information within the scope of the request but refused to provide the remainder, citing sections 40 (personal information) and 31 (law enforcement) of the FOIA. The complainant did not object to the application of section 40. The Commissioner investigated Kent Police’s application of section 31 to the information withheld by virtue of that exemption. The Commissioner’s decision is that Kent Police was correct to cite sections 31(1)(a) and (b) of the FOIA and to conclude that the balance of the public interest test favoured maintaining the exemption. However, she found that Kent Police breached section 10 (time for compliance) of the FOIA by not providing disclosable information within the statutory timeframe. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken as a result of this decision.