Under the Freedom of Information Act all police authorities, including the Policing Board, must have a Publication Scheme that sets out the information we routinely make publicly available.
The Information Commissioner has approved our scheme and we have to review it from time to time. In adopting (or reviewing) our Publication Scheme, we are required to have regard to the public interest in:
- allowing public access to information we hold; and
- the publication of reasons for the decisions we make.
Our publication scheme must:
- set out the classes of information which we publish or intend to publish
- say how we will publish the information in each class; and
- say if we will provide the information free or charge for it.
The purpose of our Publication Scheme is to let you know what information is readily available from us without you needing to ask us for it. By readily available we mean that the information is:
- available on our website
- can be obtained from us if you request it by letter, e-mail or telephone call
- can be purchased from us.
Part Two of our Publication Scheme sets out the classes, or types of information, that we publish or intend to publish. Part Three, our list of publications, supports the Publication Scheme. It lists specific publications we make available, how they can be obtained and whether they are free or if we will ask you to pay a charge.
