Having our 45 square miles policed by 13 separate forces is neither efficient nor desirable

As The Reader can imagine, what with all the publicity it’s been receiving lately, the way this small rock – or more particularly the streets of St Helier – is policed has featured prominently in the discussions. And to be honest it’s been fascinating to listen to – far better in entertainment value, and probably quality, than some of the petty squabbling that passes for deliberations in the Big House, I have to say.

My own interventions have been rare – I prefer to listen on such occasions –

although I did lose it just a little with the unnecessary references a couple of blokes kept making to the ‘paid police’ and ‘hobby bobbies’ – expressions which are equally disparaging and have no place in civilised discussions, in my view.

Keeping one’s counsel is advisable on such occasions, given that two or three of the group haven’t been on speaking terms for the better part of a week, although in their defence they have all contributed to the drinks kitty and have duly fetched the wets when their turns came up, so it can’t be all bad.

Having listened to what must be many hours of these discussions, I have come to the conclusion that my hitherto support – qualified on occasions, admittedly – for what this newspaper many years ago described as the Island’s ‘unique dual system of policing’ could be on the wane.

I should stress that I have nothing but admiration for those worthy citizens who give up their own time for more brickbats than rewards in order to serve the community. I have similar admiration for their professional colleagues in the States police – not the easiest job in the world, particularly so with the unnecessary distractions of recent times.

All that said, I have always been a little uneasy about the role of Centeniers – caught as they are between the three functions of policing, prosecuting and (where they levy fines after inquiries at the parish halls) acting as a judge.

Public perceptions are important these days, and sadly it often matters less what actually happens in the Centenier’s office than what a percentage of the public believes has happened.

I would actually be in favour of increasing the power of Centeniers and making them the first rung of the judiciary – similar in function, I would think, to the Justices of the Peace who act as lay magistrates in Britain. It could be seen perhaps as the stepping stone, for those who fancy it, to standing for Jurat but, to do the JP bit they must first have their policing powers removed.

As to policing itself, I see nothing wrong with parishioners continuing to elect their Constable’s Officers and Vingteniers, and for those officers to police their parishes. But – and here I am likely to incur the wrath of the diehards, some of whom still take the view that the only offence that can be committed on their particular patch is that of not knowing a Centenier – I think they should be under the general direction of the States police.

I’m old enough to remember the debates – and there were many of them, some more productive than others – which started 60 years ago about having a proper, professional police force. If my memory hasn’t gone completely to pot (Herself says I have my moments in this respect), I doubt that any of them brought the conclusion those proposing changes sought, as each ended in some sort of compromise which meant, and means, that these 45 square miles are policed by no fewer than 13 separate and largely autonomous police forces.

In this day and age, that is neither efficient nor desirable, and perhaps this newspaper’s ‘How safe is St Helier?’ series may well stimulate discussion along the lines I have outlined.

I’d like to think it might.

IT was interesting to read what UK government minister Stephen Timms had to say about Jersey’s ‘excellent’ progress in the area of tax evasion and the like. Mr Timms, who is financial secretary to the Treasury and, as such, one of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s right-hand men, was speaking at an international conference on fighting financial crime.

I just hope that the plethora of spin doctors and nurses who are employed – or should be – to pick up on comments like those of Mr Timms ensure that on this occasion at least his observations are given the widest possible publicity.

They could start by circulating them to members of the MP’s own party, some of whom seem to be fed bucket loads of absolute drivel – by people with agendas which bear little relation to reality – about the Island’s finance industry and repeat it verbatim, probably because it services as a distraction from the matters they should be addressing.

That said, quite where Bangladesh, Gambia, Ghana and Mongolia stand in the great scheme of matters relating to international financial crime seems to have escaped this bolshie little crapaud’s attention. I mention those countries simply because it was from them that the delegates attending the conference came. High-powered, or what?

AND finally … While the matter of ministerial holidays is still fresh, why didn’t Sean Power tell the States that he, too, was going to cash in on a few air-miles when he rose to explain the absence from the Big House of Terry Le Main? I have a feeling this one’s going to run right up to the next elections.