Speed Cameras (996A/20)
Request
On 26 October 2020 (the “Date”), around 12:30noon, there was a police officer (possibly more) stationed on the A34 Birmingham Road opposite Pages Lane.
Can I under the Freedom of Information Act, request
1. details of all officers that were operating the manned equipment and at what time. I do not ask for his / hers private information, I refer to his / hers police information, rank, shoulder number etc.
2. for each office operating the manned equipment, please provide their Certificate of Training
3. in respect of the manned equipment, please provide:
a. the most recent calibration certificate and all historic ones
b. a photograph of the manned equipment showing all sides inc serials numbers and / or any other markings that identify the equipment
c. details of all maintenance work carried out on the equipment, when and what was replaced / repaired
d. details of all in-built tests carried out both historic and recent
e. details of the operating frequency measured and recorded prior to 26 October 2020, if applicable
f. on the Date, was a tuning fork used? If yes details of the frequency measured and recorded
g. What was the PRF of the device, if applicable
h. How is the horizontal and vertical alignment of the laser beam measured?
i. Was a simulator used on or prior to the Date?
j. In so far as it has not been covered at a-i above, any other tests that were documented and carried out on the manned equipment?
4. How many offender were caught on this particular event?
5. What was the reason the operator had chosen to set up on this particular spot?
6. There are codes of practice and best practice guides that are set by the police chief constable to erect signs, to warn motorists that there are speed cameras (both fixed and mobile) were they indeed correctly erected?
Response
I can confirm that the requested information is held by West Midlands Police. However, while the majority is attached, I am not required by statute to release all of this information. Please find attached the relevant calibration certificates, with the name and signatures redacted. This letter serves as a Refusal Notice under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) for the parts of the document that have not been released.
REASON FOR DECISION
The redacted information is exempt by virtue of the following exemption
Section 40(2) – Personal Data
This exemption and explanatory notes are shown here:
Section 40(2) is an absolute and class based exemption if to release the information exists would breach the third party’s data protection rights. In this case to release this personal information would not constitute fair processing of the data. As this exemption is class based I am not required to identify the harm in disclosure and in this instance I believe that the right to privacy outweighs any public interest in release.