Isle of Man Constabulary

31 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 425.8%

The Freedom of Information requests to the Isle of Man Constabulary reveal an authority that is generally cooperative and transparent regarding statistical data, particularly in areas of public safety, road traffic incidents, and crime figures. The force has consistently released detailed breakdowns of sexual offences, domestic abuse statistics, and the specific costs of high-profile events like Royal visits (Cases 1151525, 3763230). This openness extends to niche local issues, such as wallaby collisions and sheep worrying, demonstrating a willingness to engage with community-specific concerns (Cases 553134, 1166149). However, a clear pattern of obstruction emerges when requests touch upon internal culture, personal data, or specific operational tactics. The Constabulary frequently cites 'disproportionate effort' or the risk of identifying individuals to withhold data on bullying complaints, officer injuries, and specific caution details (Cases 353867, 1326709, 353895).

Key Cases

Case 353867 — This case highlights a significant transparency gap regarding internal culture. The Constabulary admitted to having no central register for bullying and harassment complaints prior to April 2017, and refused to release specific data to avoid identifying individuals, raising questions about the force's ability to track and address internal misconduct.

Case 1321209 — A critical disclosure on internal accountability during the pandemic. The force revealed that three of its own officers were warned for breaching COVID-19 regulations, confirming that police were held to the same standards as the public, a key point of public interest during the crisis.

Case 3726171 — This 2024 case touches on a serious allegation regarding the deletion of a former Chief Constable's emails. While the summary cuts off, the request itself signals a potential crisis in data retention and government accountability, making it a pivotal moment for investigative scrutiny.

Case 1151525 — Demonstrates high-level financial transparency. The Constabulary provided the exact cost (£8,529.89) of policing Princess Anne's visit, setting a precedent for disclosing specific security expenditures for high-profile events.

Case 2039173 — Addresses public concern regarding sexual misconduct within the force. The disclosure of only two allegations and zero dismissals over a five-year period provides a clear, albeit limited, picture of the force's internal integrity regarding sexual offenses.

Related FOI Stories

Pandemic Enforcement and Internal Accountability#1300877, #1321209, #1472805, #1624929, #1649413

Road Safety and the TT Festival#470333, #553233, #855265, #865865, #1127725

Sexual Offences and Public Safety Registers#353877, #353883, #353905, #1102261, #1996906

Internal Culture, Discipline, and Recruitment#353841, #353855, #353867, #353873, #353887

Royal Visits and High-Profile Spending#1151525, #3763230

All (31) All information sent (132) · Some information sent but not all held (31) · Some information sent but part exempt (14) · Information not held (11) · No information sent - all held but exempt (5) · Request lapsed - requested information not provided (3) · Withdrawn (1) · Vexatious request (1) · Not required to fulfill request (1) · Decision Notice - Complaint part upheld (1) ·
DateTitleOutcome
2026-01-29Defibrillators in emergency vehiclesSome information sent but not all held
2024-12-03Convictions/Seizures for uninsured motor vehiclesSome information sent but not all held
The requester asked for a combined table of vehicle seizures and convictions for uninsured motor vehicles from 2011 to 2023. The Isle of Man Constabulary disclosed conviction data for various insurance-related offences but stated they could not provide seizure data due to retrieval difficulties.
2024-11-14Information on Street BailSome information sent but not all held
The request sought guidelines and statistics on street bail under the Police Powers and Procedures Act 1998. The Constabulary confirmed that no such legislation or guidelines exist and that zero individuals were subject to street bail between January 2020 and October 2024.
2024-09-04Protection of ChildrenSome information sent but not all held
A request was made to the Isle of Man Constabulary regarding data on parental concerns about child criminal exploitation and statistics on children removed from families due to offending. The authority disclosed the framework used for protection but stated it does not hold specific data on parent contacts or removal statistics, which are managed by Manx Care.
2024-09-02Anti social behaviour reports Battery Pier/ Douglas HeadSome information sent but not all held
A request for detailed anti-social driving statistics in the Battery Pier and Douglas Head area since January 2023 was partially fulfilled, with the Isle of Man Constabulary providing limited location-specific arrest data while citing record-keeping limitations for most other metrics.
2024-08-28Police Early Action Team - TrainingSome information sent but not all held
The Isle of Man Constabulary responded to a request regarding Police Early Action Team (PEAT) training, confirming that only one staff member received restorative justice training in 2022 and no conferences have been held. The authority disclosed details about the Youth Justice Effective Practice Certificate costs and providers but clarified that no PEAT officers are currently studying it and there are no senior managers within the team.
2024-07-16Sexual abuse to Children 15 years and under over the last 30 yearsSome information sent but not all held
The Isle of Man Constabulary responded to a request for detailed statistics on child sexual abuse over 30 years, providing aggregate data on victim ages and crime years while stating that specific information regarding abuser relationships, establishment involvement, and individual case records was not held.
2024-07-09Policing during the circuit breakerSome information sent but not all held
The request sought details on the Isle of Man Constabulary's policing approach, warning procedures, and enforcement statistics during the March 2021 circuit breaker. The authority disclosed specific statistics on warnings and arrests, clarified procedural rules for issuing warnings, but withheld information on training dates, warning elements, and the concept of policing by consent.
2024-07-05Policing DutiesSome information sent but not all held
The requester asked the Isle of Man Constabulary about their duties to prevent crime and keep the peace, as well as the specific text of the constable's oath. The authority confirmed the duties exist but stated they do not hold the text of the oath, as it is administered and held by the Isle of Man Courts.
2024-05-13RTC DataSome information sent but not all held
2024-05-13Loud exhaustsSome information sent but not all held
2024-03-28Cost of Queen Camilla's visitSome information sent but not all held
2024-03-21Police + security costs for Royal visitSome information sent but not all held
The Isle of Man Constabulary responded to a request for policing and security costs regarding Queen Camilla's visit on 20 March 2024, disclosing a total of £101,463.13 while noting that two outstanding invoices were not yet included.
2024-02-26Application For Grant Renewal of RWC - Released by DHA?Some information sent but not all held
2023-08-11Sexual Abuse/Violence/Rape Report 2022/23Some information sent but not all held
2023-08-11Domestic Abuse Report 2022/23Some information sent but not all held
2023-07-25SEARCH WARRANTSSome information sent but not all held
2023-06-27UK relationship with IOM ConstabularySome information sent but not all held
2022-04-20Speeding conviction ratesSome information sent but not all held
2022-01-25Mental health professionals attendanceSome information sent but not all held
2021-11-10Number of officers leaving IOM Constabulary.Some information sent but not all held
The requester asked for statistics on police officers leaving the Isle of Man Constabulary between 2016 and 2020, including gender breakdowns, and the current percentage of female officers. The Constabulary disclosed the current gender composition but stated that historical departure data is not held by them and may be with the Office of Human Resources.
2020-09-28Parking control and parking complaints.Some information sent but not all held
The requester asked for historical data on parking complaints and outcomes in specific areas of the Isle of Man, but the Constabulary disclosed only two relevant incidents from 2017 where no penalties were issued, noting that Fixed Penalty Ticket data is held by the Department for Infrastructure and Courts.
2020-08-18Arrests and warnings for failure to self-isolateSome information sent but not all held
2020-08-11Assaults on officersSome information sent but not all held
The Isle of Man Constabulary provided statistics on arrests, charges, and prosecutions for assaulting police officers between August 2019 and August 2020 but could not supply a breakdown of officer injuries as that data is not held in a retrievable format.
2020-06-23Road Traffic Collisions StatisticsSome information sent but not all held
A request for road traffic collision data including driver metadata for July 2019 to June 2020 was partially fulfilled, with the Isle of Man Constabulary providing statistics for the crime year April 2019 to March 2020 but withholding driver details due to disproportionate effort.
2020-06-10injury to police constables making arrestsSome information sent but not all held
A request was made for the number of police constables injured during arrests between January 2012 and January 2020. The Isle of Man Constabulary disclosed that records only exist from 2014, reporting 30 injuries during that available period.
2020-01-21Road Traffic Collisions in the last five yearsSome information sent but not all held
The Isle of Man Constabulary responded to a request for road traffic collision statistics over five years, providing data on driver age and speed limit status but refusing to disclose figures for restricted vehicle categories due to the impracticality of manual record checks.
2019-07-16Court Generated ComplaintsSome information sent but not all held
The request sought statistics on licensing complaints raised by the Clerk to the Licensing Court to the Isle of Man Constabulary since January 2017, including regional breakdowns and the Clerk's remit. The authority disclosed that 24 matters were referred ad hoc, provided a regional breakdown, but stated it could not confirm the Clerk's remit as that information is held by the Courts.
2019-01-17Complaints about sex in a public placeSome information sent but not all held
The requester asked for annual statistics on complaints and arrests regarding public sexual activity from 1998 to 2018, split by location. The Isle of Man Constabulary responded that they do not hold data in the requested format or for the full time period, providing only general arrest and event figures from 2011 to 2018.
2017-09-12Arbory school speedingSome information sent but not all held
The Isle of Man Constabulary responded to a request regarding traffic safety concerns and enforcement data near Arbory School, disclosing one specific instance of raised concerns and providing prosecution and fixed penalty notice statistics from 2013 to 2017.
2017-05-18Questions concerning use of cannabis and offencesSome information sent but not all held
A request for data on cannabis-related prison sentences, costs, police budgets, and violent crimes was partially fulfilled by the Isle of Man Constabulary, which disclosed statistics on alcohol-related violence but refused other parts due to lack of specific records or jurisdiction.