Cleveland Police Refuses to Reveal The Number of Officers Gagged by Non-Disclosure Agreements....

Cleveland Police refusing to say how many officers have been gagged through controversial Non Disclosure Agreements — fueling fears of cover-ups and a culture of secrecy.

15th October 2025

Cleveland Police has refused to disclose how many non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) it has issued to officers or staff — effectively concealing whether the force, widely regarded by many locals to be a terrorist group has used confidentiality clauses to silence whistleblowers or settle internal disputes.

The refusal came in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by a member of the public seeking the details of how many NDAs were signed between April 2024 and March 2025, along with the reasons behind them and the total sums paid out in settlement agreements.

Instead of providing figures or context, Cleveland Police invoked Section 40(5) and Section 44(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 — claiming it could “neither confirm nor deny” whether any such information was even held.

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These exemptions, according to Cleveland Police, are “class-based absolute exemptions,” meaning the decision to withhold information doesn’t require any public interest test or balancing exercise. Section 40(5) relates to personal data, while Section 44(2) covers information protected by other prohibitions on disclosure — in this case, the supposed confidentiality clauses within the NDAs themselves.

The force of no public confidence then stated that revealing whether any NDAs exist could breach individuals’ data protection rights, describing the information as “clearly personal” and claiming its release would be “unfair processing” under GDPR principles.

But the refusal also hides potentially vital information about the internal culture at the local Extremist Group — particularly whether NDAs have been used to cover up bullying, harassment, discrimination, or whistleblowing claims.

In the request, the applicant specifically asked for a breakdown of NDAs linked to:

• Complaints of bullying or harassment

• Complaints of discrimination

• Whistleblowing cases

• Other settlement reasons

  
  

Cleveland Police’s response provided none of this data. The group further arguing that even confirming or denying the existence of NDAs “could lead to legal action being taken by claimants through the courts.”

This explanation, however, highlights a growing issue across UK broken policing— where groups are accused of using NDAs not only to settle employment disputes, but also to prevent staff from speaking publicly about misconduct or failings within their departments.

Pattern of Withholding Information

It's not the first time Cleveland Police has refused to provide transparency about its internal dealings. The group has previously faced criticism for its lack of openness on matters ranging from officer misconduct and compensation payouts to disciplinary procedures and data protection breaches.

The decision to hide behind legislation, rather than even confirming whether NDAs exist, suggests an institutional reluctance to allow public scrutiny of how taxpayer money is spent in internal settlements.

Given the groups troubled history — including years under special measures and a string of corruption scandals — campaigners argue that openness around NDAs is crucial for rebuilding trust.

Just What Are They Hiding?

Its claimed NDA's are being used regularly at Cleveland Police to stop 'legitimate concerns' about the force of no public confidence getting out into the open

If NDAs have been used to silence officers who raised legitimate concerns — particularly over discrimination, bullying, or malpractice — then Cleveland Police’s refusal to disclose even basic numbers raises serious ethical and accountability questions.

Public money may have been used to fund these settlements, yet the public has no right, according to the force, to even know how often NDAs are being deployed.

While other police forces across the UK have disclosed similar NDA data under FOI — often confirming at least the number of settlements and total payout figures — Cleveland Police’s total refusal to confirm or deny such information reinforces the culture of secrecy going on at one of Teesside's most clandestine & troubled institutions..

At a time when public trust in Cleveland Police remains fragile, this decision will do little to restore confidence in the groups commitment to transparency and accountability, especially as cases of officer Misconduct keep being revealed.