FOI 0138-2025/26 Dress and Appearance Standards

Request
Q1. Request a copy of the current Dress and Appearance Standards for Police Officers in your force. 

Q2. If there is a Ceremonial Unit (or similar) within your force.

Q3. If training in foot drill forms part of current initial Police Officer and Special Constable training. 

Q4. A list of uniform and equipment issued to new Police Officers and Special Constables. 

Q5. The cost of each item of uniform and equipment issued to new Police Officers and Special Constables for financial year 2024/2025.

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 Dress and Appearance Standards arepublicly available using the below link:
Dress and Appearance Standards

As such, I am exempting this information pursuant to Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000n (the Act) on the basis that it is reasonably accessible by other means. Please see the below exemption explanation.

Q2. North Yorkshire Police are currently in the process of establishing a ceremonial unit.

Q3. No.

Q4. Please see the below list of uniform and equipment issued to new Police Officers, Special Constables and PCSOs.

Q5. I am exempting the cost of each item pursuant to Section 43(2) of the Act. Please see the below exemption explanation. 

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.

Section 43(2) – Commercial Interests
This is a qualified, class based exemption, which requires that I conduct a public interest test to balance the legitimate interests of the public in knowing the information against the interests of non-disclosure. This exemption applies because the disclosure of the requested information would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.

Public Interest Test
Factors Favouring Disclosure
There is a strong public interest in the efficiency of public sector spending. Releasing the information would provide the public with the knowledge on what the force spend on the subject matter. Disclosure would provide openness, displaying that public funds are being spent correctly and efficiently.

Factors Favouring Non-Disclosure
Disclosure of suppliers products into the public domain would likely deter suppliers from entering future tendering processes and it would put their competition at advantage. This would also impact North Yorkshire Police’s and other force’s ability to conduct fair tendering. Trust would be lost in the forces ability to conduct business and the community would be affected by the force being unable to spend public funds as effectively.

Balancing Test
The disclosure of commercially sensitive information would prejudice the commercial interests of the company involved and may deter them and others from participating in future procurement initiatives. There is a strong public interest against disclosure where that disclosure would be likely to prejudice the Force’s own commercial interests. Disclosure of the information would be likely to adversely affect the bargaining position of North Yorkshire Police during future contractual negotiations relating to current and future contracts which would result in less effective use of public money.

The public interest would not be served where disclosure of commercial information would hinder fair and open competition for public sector contracts. As such the balance is considered in favour of non-disclosure.

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