West Midlands Police

The complainant has requested from West Midlands Police (WMP) information about its procedures for investigating complaints made against it. WMP initially refused the request, citing section 21 (information accessible to applicant by other means) of the FOIA. It disclosed weblinks to relevant information and also directed the complainant to its publication scheme. At internal review, the complainant clarified his request, and WMP disclosed more weblinks and externally produced guidance and procedures on the police complaints system. The complainant believed that more information was held. Specifically, he believed WMP held an internally produced complaints manual which it had not disclosed. The Commissioner’s decision is that, on the balance of probabilities, WMP does not hold an internal complaints manual and that WMP’s handling of the request complied with the requirements of section 1(1) of the FOIA.