Gender split in Force departments 788/2024

FOI Reference: 788/2024

Request:

I would like a more detailed picture as to what departments your 1,376 officers work in.

I would like to know the number of officers and the gender split of officers in those departments.

If you cannot disclose all departments, the following departments would be great. But I would like to know the number of officers in these departments and the numbers of males and females in these departments.

Response

RPU

ARV

CID

PCSO

Specials

 

Response:

I can confirm that Dyfed-Powys Police does hold the information requested, however a Section 31(1)(a)(b) Law Enforcement exemption has been applied to part of the requested information thereby exempting its release.

Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 places two duties on public authorities. Unless exemptions apply, the first duty at Section 1(1) (a) is to confirm or deny whether the information specified in a request is held. The second duty at Section 1(1) (b) is to disclose information that has been confirmed as being held.

Where exemptions are relied upon section 17 of FOIA requires that we provide the applicant with a notice which:

a) States that fact

b) Specifies the exemption(s) in question and

c) State (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies

Section 31(1)(a)(b) Law Enforcement:

(1) Information which is not exempt information by virtue of section 30 is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to prejudice -

(a) the prevention or detection of crime

(b) the apprehension or prosecution of offenders

Section 31 is a prejudice based qualified exemption and as such there is a requirement to provide details of the harm as well as the public interest test.

Harm in Disclosure

The FOI Act is ‘applicant blind’. This means that we cannot, and do not, ask about the motives of anyone who asks for information. In providing a response to one person, we are expressing a willingness to provide the same response to anyone, including those who might represent a threat to the UK.

Where disclosure will likely jeopardise the primary functions of Dyfed-Powys Police, namely to prevent and detect crime as well as apprehend and prosecute offenders, information needs to be protected.

In view of those functions any information released under the Act which reveals information related to the workforce of Dyfed-Powys Police broken down into specific departments, especially if there are low numbers in a particular area could prejudice the prevention and detection of crime and the apprehension or prosecution of offenders. Disclosure could potentially provide any individuals with malicious intent to target particular areas where numbers of officers are low.

Release of some of the information detailing workforce capability would have the effect of compromising law enforcement processes and would also hinder the ability of Dyfed-Powys Police to fulfil its primary aim of enforcing the law and protecting the public during day-to-day policing. As an example, if someone with criminal intent were to see that a specific specialised area had low numbers, this may make them more inclined to commit that specific crime.

The disclosure of this information to the public by Dyfed-Powys Police would undermine the Force’s ability to properly police and investigate on a day-to-day basis. Release of the information mentioned above could potentially disclose the workforce capabilities of the Force and could affect operational situations.

The disclosure of information which is likely to undermine the Police service’s ability to serve the public by providing the primary functions stated, can only be considered as being harmful to the public.

Public Interest Test

Considerations favouring disclosure:

Disclosure would allow for greater public awareness and openness over Dyfed-Powys Police resource capabilities. As a result, the public would become more informed on how and where public funds are being spent and gain a greater knowledge of the resources available to prevent and detect crime.

Considerations favouring non-disclosure:

Disclosing the requested information would have a detrimental impact upon operational policing. Disclosing the number of officers within specific departments within Dyfed-Powys Police, would provide those individuals or groups within the criminal fraternity a significant operational advantage as the information could be used with a view to develop tactics that would divert resources away from locations that they wish to target. This would clearly jeopardise the ability of Dyfed-Powys Police to respond appropriately to criminal activity and thereby protect the public.

The requested information could be used to compromise law enforcement capabilities by decreasing the ability of the police to fight crime, which would increase the commission of crime and subsequently have a detrimental impact on public safety as well as decrease public confidence in the police force.

Balancing Test

After weighing up the competing interests I have determined that the disclosure of the requested information would not be in the public interest. I consider that the benefit that would result from the information being disclosed does not outweigh the considerations favouring non-disclosure. 

I find that the strongest reasons favouring disclosure are to provide greater public awareness and openness in how public funding is being spent, and whether Dyfed-Powys Police is suitably resourced in certain departments.

However, the strongest and most decisive reasons against disclosure are the impact that disclosure would have on public safety, and the prevention of the malicious redirecting of Dyfed-Powys Police resources.

Clearly the release of any information that is likely to assist the criminal network and impact on our operational and tactical capabilities cannot be in the public interest and whilst wishing to embrace the ethos of information disclosure, this cannot take precedence over public safety.

Please find below data which contains answers to the majority of your request, I have included percentages which will hopefully assist you.

	Male	Female	Total
Response	245 (67.5%)	118 (32.5%)	363
RPU	s31.1(a)(b) exempt (89.3%)	s31.1(a)(b) exempt (10.7%)	s31.1(a)(b) exempt
ARV	s31.1(a)(b) exempt (85.1%)	s31.1(a)(b) exempt (14.9%)	s31.1(a)(b) exempt
CID	58 (43.3%)	76 (56.7%)	134
PCSO	53 (36.1%)	94 (63.9%)	147
Specials	19 (61.3%)	12 (38.7%)	31

                                               

                                                           

It should be noted that as a result of the systems adopted by Dyfed-Powys Police in relation to the recording of such information that the information released may or may not be accurate.

(This is a response under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and disclosed on 24/09/2024)