Mobile Phone Examinations (223A/22)
Request
1a) How many phones are currently being kept as evidence and are awaiting digital forensic examination by your force?
1b) Please provide a breakdown of how long the phones have been waiting for examination as follows:
| Length time phone has waited for examination | Number of phones |
| Up to and including 3 months | |
| More than 3 months, up to and including 6 months | |
| More than 6 months, up to and including 12 months | |
| More than 12 months | |
| Total |
1c) What is the longest a phone has been waiting for examination?
2a) How many phones are currently being kept as evidence in sexual offence cases and are awaiting digital forensic examination by your force? Please skip question 2 if it will exceed the cost limit.
2b) Please provide a breakdown of how long the phones (specified in 2a) have been waiting for examination as follows:
| Length time phone has waited for examination | Number of phones |
| Up to and including 3 months | |
| More than 3 months, up to and including 6 months | |
| More than 6 months, up to and including 12 months | |
| More than 12 months | |
| Total |
2c) What is the longest a phone (specified in 2a) has been waiting for examination?
3) Does your force have the capability to download material from phones and return them to victims of crimes (such as rape) within 24 hours? If so, please specify what resources you use to do this – e.g. digital forensic kiosks. If not, please explain why not and provide details of any plans you have to introduce this capability. Please skip this question if it will exceed the cost limit.
Response
We can confirm that relevant information is held by West Midlands Police. However, while some of the information is attached to this email, I am not required to release all of the information requested. Please find attached our response.
REASONS FOR DECISION
The withheld information is exempt by virtue of the following exemption:
Section 31(1)(a)(b) – Law enforcement
This exemption and explanatory notes are shown here:
In line with the above, I am required to complete a Prejudice Test/Public Interest Test (PIT) on disclosure. Please find this PIT attached (223A_PIT).