Forced entry
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 23/0558
Version Date: 21/08/2023
The Professional Standards Department have provided the following information:
The data below relates to complaints which have been received from members of the public who felt that entry to their property was unlawful in some way. Details of those complaints received between 1st January 2019 and 31st May 2023 are below, including date recorded, and summary of complaint. Any investigation regarding unlawful entry would likely only come to the Professional Standards Department if the allegation related to misconduct in some way. The Performance Analysis Department have advised they have no way of retrieving this information.
Please could you provide me with how many times your force has unlawfully forced entry into the wrong property for the following years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 (01/01/23 to the present day).
For each incident please provide: (a) the date of the unlawfully forced entry, (b) a brief explanation about why entry was forced and why it was deemed unlawful and (c) how much the operation cost in total.
|
Date Recorded |
Allegation Category |
Summary |
|
19-Jun-19 |
T - Other irregularity in procedure |
Officers acted unlawfully in assisting British Gas engineer/locksmith in gaining entry to premises. Firstly by encouraging/instructing the locksmith to force entry and secondly because the warrant itself was illegitimate. |
|
21-Jan-20 |
C - Other Assault |
Complaint 2: |
|
10-Mar-20 |
D - Oppressive conduct or harassment |
Unlawfully forced entry to your property in the early hours of 29 November 2018 |
|
21-Sep-20 |
C1 - Handling of or damage to property/premises |
Claims police have entered property unlawfully and damaged property. Distress caused to people involved who all have mental health issues. |
|
1-Jun-22 |
B2 - Searches of premises and seizure of property |
Police were intimidating to staff and returned the following day to complete a room search without a warrant, no communication with the home and no responsible adult present to support victim. The police presence caused excessive anxiety and distress to other living in the home. I believe this to be unacceptable and unlawful |
|
16-Jan-23 |
B2 - Searches of premises and seizure of property |
Police unlawfully entered his address under s17 of PACE as no power and Misper was with Other Police officers at that time. |
|
3-May-23 |
B3 - Power to arrest and detain |
Arrest and search of property unlawful. |
Please note that costs of the operations are not recorded unless they are subject to a specific cost centre, otherwise they will just be costed as part of the officers’ normal salary as part of their normal duties.