FOI 0348-2025/26- Op snap

Request:

Q1. Have you set up Operation Snap – or a similar scheme - in your constabulary, where people can send you video footage of drivers committing alleged misdemeanours?

Q2. How many items of footage have been submitted and received by your constabulary between January 2022 and May 2025? Please provide a monthly breakdown if available. If a monthly breakdown is not available, could you provide it by calendar or financial year? Please note my preference, if you cannot provide monthly figures, would be calendar years for 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Q3. In each of the last three calendar years please provide a breakdown of the types of offences identified via these submissions, with total figures for each of the following categories (a) driving without due care and attention/driving without reasonable consideration, (b) contravening a red light, (c) using a mobile phone whilst driving, (d) stopping a vehicle on a pelican/pedestrian crossing (e) failing to wear a seatbelt.

Q4. If recorded, please specify the type of individuals or groups submitting footage (e.g. private motorists, cyclists, taxi drivers, bus drivers, fleet companies, etc.

Response: 

Extent and Result of Searches to Locate Information

To locate the information relevant to your request searches were conducted within North Yorkshire Police.

I can confirm that the information you have requested is held by North Yorkshire Police. 

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the following information to you.

Q1.  The information you have requested is published on the North Yorkshire Police website under the following link:

Op Snap | North Yorkshire Police

 I have therefore decided to exempt providing you with a response to question 1) pursuant to Section 21 Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act). Please see the exemption explanation below.

*Please note Op Snap commenced in November 2021 but was Op Spartan prior to this for approx. 4 years.

Q2 & Q3. Please see the table below showing the number of op snap submisisons made between January 2022 and May 2025, broken down by year, month and type of offence.

Q4. Information not recorded, however we receive submissions from cyclists, horse riders and all vehicle drivers including motorbikes, cars, HGVs, vans etc

Exemption Explanation

Section 17 of the Act requires North Yorkshire Police, when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you the applicant with a notice which: (a) states that fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states (if that would not otherwise be apparent) why the exemption applies.

Section 21 – Information Reasonably Accessible by Other Means

Section 21 is an absolute class based exemption and I am not required to consider the harm or public interest when applying this exemption.

Pursuant to Section 17(1) of the Act this letter acts as a Refusal Notice in response to your request.

Please note that systems used for recording information are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the data.  It should be noted therefore that this force’s response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other responses you may receive.