Your Request

Please provide an up-to-date fleet list for your force. I request that the information include:

-Full vehicle registration mark (VRM)

-Vehicle role

-Whether the vehicle is marked, unmarked or covert

This request applies to all vehicles currently held within the fleet.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I am pleased to provide some of the information you have requested. I have detailed below the information.

Non-exempt Overt Vehicle Numbers:

Response 95, NPT 47, Forensic Collision Unit 2, Courtesy vehicles 22, ops planning 1, Training 19 (including driving school), Transport pool 1, PCC 1, Safety Camera Bureau 4 (speed camera vans), SOCO 2.

I can confirm that Durham Constabulary holds the remainder of the information you requested. However, we are withholding that information since we consider that the following exemptions apply to it.

Information relating to covert/unmarked cars, VRMs and some specific specialist vehicles is exempt by virtue of s31(1)(a)(b), Law Enforcement.

Section 31 is a qualified prejudice-based exemption which requires the public interest to be considered and harm to be articulated.

Harm

Disclosure of further information on covert fleet details could be of intelligence value to a person or persons with criminal or malicious intent. Full disclosure could provide and enable targeted malicious actions or criminal activity based on perceived strengths and weakness of the Durham Constabulary fleet, whether correctly or not. Additionally, law enforcement tactics and operational capability would be compromised with the disclosure of details relating to unmarked cars. Those who wish to commit criminal acts will be more aware of what vehicles may belong to the force in a covert role - and the associated potential performance capabilities - thus providing the opportunity to interrupt law enforcement processes reducing the efficacy of the force in preventing and detecting crime.

Factors in favour of disclosure

Disclosure of the information will add to the levels of transparency surrounding the force, whilst also providing information which is of interest to a small number of people who have a particular interest in the data. Further it would provide the public with knowledge on how public funds are being spent in this area. There is a legitimate interest in the public being satisfied that the police force has current and well maintained vehicles to deliver services to the public when and where required.

Factors in favour of withholding

Providing further any details at all in relation to covert vehicles would have the effect of compromising law enforcement. It has been recorded that Freedom of Information Act releases are monitored by criminals and terrorists and further disclosure would prejudice the ability of the Police Service to conduct its law enforcement functions, thus hindering the prevention or detection of crime. Furthermore, the disclosure of information regarding certain specialist vehicles would also prejudice the ability of the force to conduct its law enforcement functions.

Balance test

It is considered that the greater public interest therefore lies in not providing the information at this time. In coming to that conclusion, the public interest in providing the information has been carefully weighed against any prejudice to the public interest that might arise from withholding the information; in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

This response therefore acts as a refusal notice under section 17 of the FoIA.