My car sustained damage in police pursuit
Dear Victoria Police,
My car was involved in chase as it was stolen and the officers did a great job apprehending the offenders but my vehicle sustained great damage while in pursuit and while stationary as officers damaged all the windows physically with batons and sprayed the vehicle with pepper spray damaging the interior.
I have spoken to my insurance company and they said they can't pay a claim because the damage wasn't caused as a result of a or the theft and it was caused by Police in the line of duty.
I have spoken to the Police and the officer at the station seems to think that it's my insurance companies issue to resolve.
Seems as though no one wants to help resolve this issue and I'd hate for it to become a public spectacle of the innocent getting the raw end of the deal.
Where in the Police can I speak to someone to help get my car fixed?
Yours faithfully,
Jerry
Dear Mr Farsoun
Regarding your email below, I refer you to the website www.foi.vic.gov.au if you wish to submit a valid Freedom of Information request.
Applications must:
• Be in writing or lodged electronically via FOI Online.
• Clearly describe the documents you are requesting access to.
• Include the application fee or evidence that you qualify to have the application fee waived. Other costs may be incurred in granting access to the documents that you have requested. For more information see Costs.
• Be made to the agency that holds the documents you are seeking.
If the documents are about your personal affairs, you should provide evidence of your identity. For example, a photocopy or electronic copy of your current Drivers Licence.
Please do not hesitate to call this office on 9247 6801 if you have any queries regarding submitting a Freedom of Information request.
Regards,
FOI Manager
Victoria Police FOI Division
Dear FREEDOM OF INFORMATION-MGR,
The response didn't match the question.
Yours sincerely,
Jerry Farsoun
PS: I don't need a follow up request for a reply.
Ben Fairless left an annotation ()
Hey there Jerry,
Locutus is here (voluntarily) as a member of the Right to Know community. She helps answer questions about FOI and has greatly informed many of our understandings of how the law works.
She's also correct - This service is designed to submit requests for information, and unfortunately VIC Police aren't co-operative with these requests, and I would go as far as to say they are deliberately difficult (You can see a recent request I made to them asking for basic information here: https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/a...)
Cheers,
Ben
Locutus Sum left an annotation ()
It is correct that the answer did not match the question but it is also true that the request did not logically match the question. The request was a request under the Freedom of Information Act even though that did not make sense. The officer has responded to the fact of the request being a Freedom of Information request.
Note: Right to Know is not a general email service for communicating with an agency. If a person wishes to do this, and not to make a Freedom of Information request, then it is appropriate to use personal email or the Australia Postal Service. I looked at the Victoria Police website (http://www.police.vic.gov.au ) and found the general inquiry telephone number under the label "Contact us". The telephone number is:
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
Phone: (03) 9247 6666
A person can also contact the police in writing at the address:
Victoria Police Centre
G.P.O Box 913
Melbourne, VIC, 3001
AUSTRALIA