Metropolitan Police Service

The complainant made multiple requests to the Metropolitan Police Service (the “MPS”), for information held in its Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) dedicated database. The MPS initially found the requested information to be exempt by virtue of sections 23(5) (Information supplied by, or relating to, bodies dealing with security matters), 24(1) (National security), 30(1)(a) (Investigations and proceedings), 31(1)(a) (Law enforcement) and 44(1)(a) (Prohibitions on disclosure) of the FOIA. During the Commissioner’s investigation this was revised and the MPS found the requests to be vexatious under section 14(1) (Vexatious or repeated requests) of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that the MPS was entitled to find the requests to be vexatious. No steps are required.