FOI 726-2025 / Jul 2025 / Weapons
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 726-2025
I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 18th July 2025 as follows:
How many weapons were seized/recovered from: a) stop and searches, b) searches requiring a warrant, c) imports from customs, d) amnesties, and e) weapon sweeps during the most recent Operation Sceptre campaign, held 19-25 May?
Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.
Response: Please be advised that weapon seizures and recoveries as part of stop searches, warrants, or custom imports, is not centrally recorded under the Operation Sceptre umbrella. In order to determine the number of these that occurred for that period, it would be necessary for each business area to conduct an extensive manual trawl of records. Following consultation, it has been ascertained that the work required to locate and retrieve this information exceeds the cost threshold of £450, which equates to 18 hours work at a standard rate of £25 per hour, as stated in the Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004.
In accordance with Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts as a Refusal Notice for these parts of the request, and, if one part of a request exceeds the fees limit, then Section 12 of the Act applies to the whole request.
In accordance with Section 16 of the Act, I have a duty to provide advice and assistance on refining your request. I can advise that, with regard to the period 19th to 25th May 2025, it may be possible to conduct searches within the cost threshold for the number of stop searches conducted where a weapon was located, should you wish to revise and resubmit your request.
Outside of the Act and as a gesture of goodwill, I can advise that, in relation to Operation Sceptre only, there were no weapon sweeps, and a total of 73 knives were surrendered by way of the bins.
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