FOI 430-2023 / April 2023 / Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (CJPOA) & unauthorised Camps
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 430-2023
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 19th April 2023 as follows:
I am requesting the following information using the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Some of the information requested may also be relevant to the Environment Information Regulations – if so please treat the relevant information requested as an EIR Request.
On April 28th, 2022, last year, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 achieved Royal Assent and part of the provisions of that Act inserted section 60c (the criminal offence of trespass with vehicles with the intent to reside) into the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (CJPOA).
Section 60c is now an addition to section 61 and 62a, the already existing CJPOA police powers of eviction in relation to unauthorised camps.
This freedom of information request, sent to all police services in England and Wales, is an attempt to determine how many times section 60c has been used in comparison to the use of section 61 and section 62 at a police service level and a national level.
Information requested: Within the timeframe of June 28th 2022 to March 31st 2023:
- Do you hold any recorded information that would determine how many times your police service has served section 60C CJPOA in relation to unauthorised camps? If the answer to this is a yes, can you please tell us how many times your police service has used section 60C and the reason for its use?
- Do you hold any recorded information that would determine how many times your police service has served section 60D (the seizure of vehicles following a section 60c) in relation to unauthorised camps? If the answer to this is a yes, can you please tell us how many times your police service has served section 60D?
- Do you hold any recorded information that would determine how many times your police service has served section 61 CJPOA in relation to unauthorised camps? If the answer to this is a yes, can you please tell us how many times your police service has used section 61?
- Do you hold any recorded information that would determine how many times your police service has served section 62A CJPOA in relation to unauthorised camps? If the answer to this is a yes, can you please tell us how many times your police service has used section 62A?
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Q1 response: During the stated period Warwickshire Police have used powers under Sec 60C CJPO Act 1994 on four occasions, for reasons set out below:
- Assessed as significant disruption x 2
- Assessed as significant disruption and distress x 2
Q2 response: During the stated period Warwickshire Police have not used s60D
Q3 response: During the stated period Warwickshire Police have issued notices under Sec 61 on two occasions.
Q4 response: During the stated period Warwickshire Police have not issued any notices under Sec 62A.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.
Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.
Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.
Yours sincerely
Freedom of Information Officer
Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police
PO Box 4
Leek Wootton
Warwickshire
CV35 7QB