Date of Request
November 23
Request
Dear Sir/madam,
I recently requested some information from West Mercia Police and they have said that you provide the UAV’s for them under the interoperability arrangements. Please find attached the FOI request for information. I am studying for MSc and would like to know the information for my research.
Kind regards.
Response
Dear X
Thank you for your request for incident information which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
The Service can confirm the requested information is not held and please find the answers to your questions as below:
Please may you provide me with:
- Do you use UAV’s at crime scenes? If so what type of scenes and how many times in the last two years? We have a Memorandum of understanding with West Mercia Police to support some of their activities. Some of these are crimes scenes as are some of our operational incidents. However we do not record this information against flight logs and therefore cannot provide this information.
- Do you use your own UAV’s or subcontract UAV services from an outside body/Police force? If so which company/body and what type of UAV? We utilise our own Drones
- Have you ever used UAV’s to help search for a clandestine graves or missing person? We have a Memorandum of understanding with West Mercia Police to support searches for high risk missing persons
- If the answer is yes to any of the above what has been the approx. cost internally and externally? Our UAVs are integral to our response assets and therefore we are unable to separate costs.
- How many staff do you have trained to deploy a UAV? What has been the cost of staff training? We have 25 pilots trained at a cost of £250 per pilot.
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see above).
Should you have any queries regarding the management of your request and wish to make either a complaint or request a review of the information disclosed to you, please do so by using Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s complaints system: Comments and Complaints. This must be done within 40 working days of our response to your request. After this date and in line with ICO guidance the Service is not obliged to provide an internal review of your request.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF, Tel: 0303 123 1113 (alternatively 01625 545745) or E-mail: casework@ico.org.uk
Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Thank you for your request for information
Information Governance Team