Police body armour (FOI)

Request

I kindly request the following information regarding your forces purchases of body armour.

Can you please answer the questions below for Ordinary Policing Body armour requirements, Tactical and Armed Policing requirements and lastly Covert and concealable policing requirements.

A

Who are your current armour manufacturers?

B

Who is your current armour supply contract with (if different to the actual manufacturer, for example, DHL-NUMS)?

C

When does your current contract end? 

D

How long is the term of the contract?

E

When will the new procurement process start? 

F

What is your current level of protection?

G

What is the current unit price per Set of Armour?

H

What is the current unit price for an armour carrier?

I

What was the total value of the contract award?

J

How many units of body armour have been purchased during the contract term?

K

Please provide a contact name and contact details please for a person responsible for procurement matters?

Response

A

There is not an exclusive supplier however, Cooneen Group has been utilised previously.

B

No contracts are currently in place. Purchases are ad-hoc depending upon requirements.

C and D

Not applicable. 

E

An ad-hoc procurement approach is operated depending upon requirements. 

F

This information is exempt under Article 38 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011. Article 38 is a qualified exemption and the balancing test is provided below. 

G and H

This information is exempt under Article 33 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011. Article 33 is a qualified exemption and the balancing test is provided below.

I and J

Not applicable as there is no contract.

K 

Contact details are commercialservices@gov.je.

Articles applied

Article 33 - Commercial interests

Information is qualified exempt information if –

(a) it constitutes a trade secret; or

(b) its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the commercial interests of a person (including the scheduled public authority holding the information).

Public interest test

Although there is no direct contract between the States of Jersey Police (SOJP) and the supplier, prices paid by SOJP benefit from competitive prices that are aligned to contracts held by other UK forces in the south-west region.

Factors favouring disclosure

There is a legitimate public interest to disclose such information and be fully transparent so that the public may be satisfied that SOJP is obtaining body armour at a competitive price. 

Factors favouring non-disclosure

Disclosure of unit prices applicable to SOJP would likely undermine existing highly competitive agreements between UK forces and suppliers, and directly increase the prices paid by SOJP.

Balance test  

The public interest in maintaining competitive body armour pricing outweighs the public interest in disclosing such pricing data. 

Article 38 - Endangering the safety or health of individuals

Information is qualified exempt information if its disclosure would, or would be likely to –

(a) endanger the safety of an individual; or

(b) endanger the physical or mental health of an individual.

Public interest test

Revealing details of the levels of protection of body armour could compromise the safety of officers by people with criminal or malicious intent. This places the officers at increased, unnecessary risk of harm.

Factors favouring disclosure

There is a legitimate public interest in the public being satisfied that the police force has up to date protective equipment for its officers. 

Factors favouring non-disclosure

Disclosing information that includes details of body armour protection levels would allow person or persons with malicious intent to research methods to undermine the protection offered. The release of this information could therefore provide a tactical advantage to offenders, leading to the possible unnecessary endangering of the safety and health of the officers concerned, and which could ultimately negatively impact public safety and undermine the policing purpose.

Balance Test

It is not in the public interest for body armour capability to be published by the disclosure of the current levels of protection.