Chief Constable of Dorset Police

The complainant requested information about speed cameras on a particular stretch of road.
Dorset Police relied on section 14(1) of FOIA (vexatious) to refuse the request.
The Commissioner’s decision is that the request was not vexatious and therefore Dorset Police was not entitled to rely upon section 14(1) of FOIA to refuse it.
The Commissioner also finds that Dorset Police did not provide a refusal notice within the statutory deadline as required under section 17(1) of FOIA.
The Commissioner requires Dorset Police to take the following step to ensure compliance with the legislation.
• Issue a fresh response, to the request that, does not rely on section 14(1) of FOIA.
Dorset Police must take this step within 30 calendar days of the date of this decision notice. Failure to comply may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to the High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.