Information Requests
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) is committed to openness, transparency and accountability in how information is managed and shared.
Members of the public have a number of rights that allow them to request access to information held by the OPCC, whether this relates to organisational information or personal data. There are different ways you can request information from us depending on what you need – this page explains the different types of information requests available, the legislation that governs them, and how the OPCC will respond to ensure that information is handled lawfully and responsibly.
Requesting Non-Personal Data
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 intends to create a culture of transparency and accountability by giving the public the right to recorded information held by public authorities and places a number of obligations on public authorities.
A requestor under FOI must be informed firstly whether the information is held and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information. This allows for a better understanding of how the Police and Crime Commissioner words, how decisions are made and how the OPCC spends public money.
The Act gives anyone a right to access all types of recorded information held by public authorities, subject to exemptions listed and places a number of obligations on public authorities.
Any person who makes a request to a public authority for information must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information.
Before you make an FOI request, please visit Our Information to see if the information you’re looking for is already available. You may also want to view our latest FOI Disclosure Log to see if a similar request has already been made.
To make an FOI request, please contact us here.
In-Tend Procurement System – FOI Contracts Register
To see the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please visit www.legislation.gov.uk
You can view the FOI Disclosure Logs for previous years in our archive.
Request personal data
The Data Protection Act 2018, along with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides individuals with the right of access to their own personal data that is held by public authorities and other organisations.
This is often referred to as a “Subject Access Request (SAR)” and allows individuals to understand what personal information is being processed, the purposes for that processing and who it may be shared with (if relevant).
Public authorities are required to confirm whether they hold the requestor’s personal data and, unless an exemption applies, provide a copy of that data.
This promotes transparency, ensures accountability in how personal information is handled, and enables individuals to exercise greater control over their data.
If you would like to see the personal data that the OPCC hold on you, you may wish to make a subject access request (SAR). Further details on how to do this are below.
Submitting a SAR to the OPCC
To submit a subject access request (SAR) we require:
- A clear statement of what the information you are requesting is;
- Two forms of identification, which between them show your name, date of birth and current signature.
To ensure we answer your request as accurately as we can, please submit your request in writing. You can do so via email PCC@thamesvalley.police.uk, or via post: OPCC Governance Team, The Farmhouse, Thames Valley Police HQ, Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 2NX
We have one calendar month in which to respond to your request. If we believe it will take longer, we will be in touch as soon as possible.
Please note that a SAR only allows us to disclose your own personal data and not that relating to other people.
Data held by Thames Valley Police
Thames Valley Police and the OPCC are two separate entities, and the OPCC do not hold operational policing data such as: crime reports, statements etc.
If you require your personal data from Thames Valley Police, please send your request, along with your identification to: publicaccess@thamesvalley.police.uk or Public Access, Thames Valley Police HQ, Oxford Road, Kidlington, OX5 2NX
Alternatively you can call them on 101 or apply via the Thames Valley Police website
Additional resources
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