Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police

The complainant requested information relating to the death of a named individual. Northamptonshire Police refused to disclose the requested information within the scope of the first part of the request, citing sections 27(1) (international relations), 30(1) (investigations and proceedings conducted by the public authority) and 40(2) (personal information) of the FOIA. It refused to confirm or deny holding the requested information within the scope of the second part of the request, citing sections 30(3) and 40(5) of the FOIA. The Commissioner investigated Northamptonshire Police’s handling of the second part of the request. The Commissioner’s decision is that Northamptonshire Police was entitled to rely on section 30(3) and that, in all of the circumstances of the case, the public interest favoured maintaining the exemption. The Commissioner requires no steps to be taken as a result of this decision.