TEN new recruits are due to join the States police at the beginning of next year, the force’s watchdog has revealed following concerns over falling headcount.
Jersey Police Authority chair Simon Harman said the officers would start “very early in January”.
“It’s really good news,” he continued. “They’re all local people – we want to see an increase in that.
“What the police try to avoid is transferees, unless there’s a specific specialist skills gap, because we now have a local training programme.”
Mr Harman said that the new recruits would undertake a 22-week programme “all on-Island”.
“They’ll be learning Jersey law, Jersey regulation and learning about their communities, how they operate,” he added.
“I’m quite encouraged with this government and what they do. The current minister has really been very supportive.”
Mr Harman had previously spoken about the difficulties of recruiting in the Island and the budgetary pressures facing the force, which currently has around 194 police officers.
This is below the minimum headcount requirement of 215 agreed by States Members in 2019.
He explained that “one of the issues being faced is that on average we are losing an officer a month”, noting that “there are a lot of retirements at the moment”.
“So 25, 30 years ago, a lot of officers joined for a career and they are coming to the end of that career.”
But he described the new wave of recruits as a “positive” development.
