Just spoke to a suzy johnson at the Herts Police FOI department and I am now making an official complaint to the professional standards department.

Half way through me talking the phone was slammed down on me.
All I wanted to know about is why I havent had a response to the internal review yet and why it seems that herts is making a mockery out of the FOI act.

I also explained this site and the original answers to my FOI were now incorrect, also explained that several people on this site havent had any answers at all.
Suzy said that all the FOI responses are copyright. I gathered from that comment she was implying (but didnt say directly) that action would be taken if I published my FOI responses.

Interesting or what? Ive now just about written up my Section50 complaint under the act.

and just think what it will be like when we have fewer, but bigger police forces (services? hah) in the UK   :(

wrote on Oct 10^th, 2005 at 3:27pm:

Just spoke to a suzy johnson at the Herts Police FOI department and I am now making an official complaint to the professional standards department.

Up until this morning, I had not received a response to my FOI request submitted back in June to the Herts Conts. An hour or so ago, I contacted the Police Authority and the IPCC to lodge a complaint, and within a few minutes, Ms Johnson contacts me by email saying that they have never received an FOI request from me! How very convenient.

So she's rude and devious.

Now you've got her e-mail address though, she'll receive your request almost instantly!  With a reminder every week, I assume.

wrote on Oct 11^th, 2005 at 2:01pm:

Up until this morning, I had not received a response to my FOI request submitted back in June to the Herts Conts. An hour or so ago, I contacted the Police Authority and the IPCC to lodge a complaint, and within a few minutes, Ms Johnson contacts me by email saying that they have never received an FOI request from me! How very convenient.

Did you not receive an ackowledgement email from her back in June that you could send her for her contemplation?

wrote on Oct 11^th, 2005 at 5:00pm:

Did you not receive an ackowledgement email from her back in June that you could send her for her contemplation?

No, which is not that unusual when dealing with public bodies and FOI requests. Her email today included the following:

<<
In order for us to check whether your request has been processed by another department, I would be grateful if you could forward the original requests to me.  Should you wish the requests to be processed under the Freedom of Information Act, please let me know and I will personally log them and send an acknowledgement letter of receipt today.
>>

So far, she hasn't replied, although the acknowledgement could well be by postal mail rather than email.

The Police Authority responded with the following:

<<
As you may know, the police authority does not become involved with the day-to-day running of the constabulary, but we act as a watchdog body; we also have a role in voicing the concerns of the wider community in relation to the delivery of the policing service.

I would suggest that your e-mail constitutes what is called a “Direction and Control” complaint; this means that it is an organisational complaint ie it concerns local practices within Hertfordshire, rather than a complaint about an individual officer.

As such, I have forwarded it on to the Professional Standards Department at police HQ to examine the matter further; it will be allocated to a specific investigator and you can expect to be informed of progress.

I hope this is of use and I am sorry that you have found it necessary to make a complaint about the service provided by Hertfordshire Constabulary.
>>