FOI Request
What estimates or analysis does the OPCC hold relating or referring to the impact of “county lines” drug supply operations in your force area? Please provide copies of any such estimates/ analysis or a summary of the key statistics and findings.
Please advise me on what other information your OPCC force holds relating or referring to “county lines” drugs supply operations.
FOI Response
I am refusing your request for information under s31(3), s24(2) and s23(5) of the Act.
The Office of the Police & Crime Commission for Cleveland neither confirms nor denies that it holds recorded information on the subject you seek.
Sections 24 and 31 require me to undertake a harm and public interest test to justify my position, please see below my considerations on this matter.
The security of the country is of utmost importance and the OPCC for Cleveland will not divulge whether information is or is not held if to do so would compromise national security. Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing operations and providing assurance that the Police Service is appropriately and effectively engaging with the threat posed by county lines activity, there is a very strong public interest in safeguarding both national security and the integrity of police investigations and operations in the highly sensitive areas of which they work.
Date responded: 21 August 2018