FOI - Meeting regarding the Sarah Everard vigil [Jun 2021]

Your request

My request relates to this tweet.

In it, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said he met with Cressida Dick, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Commissioner and the MPS Deputy Commissioner, on 14 March 2021 to discuss the policing of the Sarah Everard vigil in Clapham. In reference to this meeting, please provide the following:

• a full list of attendees, including the full names and titles of each attendee, as well as who each attendee represents
• the exact time and duration of when the meeting took place
• the location of the meeting
• a copy of the agenda for the meeting
• materials that were handed out and received during the meeting, such as presentation slides, brochures, reports and leaflets
• minutes taken during the meeting, as well as any accompanying briefing notes and papers.

Our response

A full list of the attendees:
Dame Cressida Rose Dick DBE QPM, MPS Commissioner
Sir Steve House QPM, MPS Deputy Commissioner
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime
David Bellamy, Mayor’s Chief of Staff

The meeting took place at 12.30pm and lasted for just over one hour.

The location of the meeting was the Mayor’s Office, City Hall.

No agenda was used.

No paperwork was circulated during the meeting.

No minutes were taken during the meeting.

The attached briefing was received by the Mayor’s Office on the date of the meeting, 14 March 2021.

We have redacted a small amount of personal data, which is exempt under Section 40(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. We have also redacted some information about operational policing under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Act (Law Enforcement, the prevention or detection of crime) which provides that: 31(1) Information which is not exempt information by virtue of Section 30 is exempt
information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to, prejudice (a) the
prevention or detection of crime.

The information relates to the policing resources deployed on 13 March 2021. The release of this information would give insight into operational policing tactics and capability at similar events, which would enable those with the time, capacity and inclination to try and map strategies used by the MPS. Release would have the effect of compromising law enforcement tactics and would also hinder the prevention and detection of crime.

Whilst there is a public interest in the transparency of policing functions, there is a stronger
public interest in safeguarding the integrity of the MPS.

If you have any further questions relating to this matter, please contact us, quoting
reference MGLA150321-8342.