“UNACCEPTABLE” costs and “unrealistic” expectations are being pushed onto volunteer honorary police because of decisions taken by the States police without consultation, parish constables have warned.
In a submission to the panel of politicans conducting a review of how parishes and government work together, the Constables’ Committee has accused the States police of introducing new technology and systems and then expecting the Honorary Police to “do likewise” – and pay for it – despite parishes already funding their own officers, equipment and training.
Committee chair, St Brelade Constable Michael Jackson, said: “The introduction and adoption of new technology by the States police and expectation for the honorary police to do likewise without prior consultation has resulted in unacceptable costs being passed on.”
Mr Jackson pointed to the requirement for every Centenier to have a personal laptop for court work and case management.
While this was eventually covered by a one-off grant from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund, the submission warns that further costs are looming. A proposed upgrade to police radios – currently postponed – is expected to require “six-figure funding within the next couple of years to cover all parishes”.
Each parish funds the full operational costs of its own honorary police, including uniforms, vehicles, radios and training.
The committee rejected comparisons with UK special constables, arguing that honorary police are parochial officers, elected to serve their own communities and not under the direction of the States police.
The submission also raised concerns about what Mr Jackson described as an “unrealistic” expectation that honorary police will step in whenever the States police cannot.
He wrote: “The other area of concern is when the States police is unable to deploy officers to deal with an incident, or to support an Island event, resulting in the expectation that members of the honorary police will turn out.
“Members of the honorary police are volunteers with work and family commitments; they are not full-time. The expectation that they will always be able to cover when the States police is not available is unrealistic.”
Elsewhere in the document, the constables push back against suggestions that parishes lack proper governance or financial oversight – insisting that parish accounts are professionally audited, transparent and already subject to scrutiny by Parish Assemblies and the Royal Court.
The submission also warns that government is increasingly shifting costs onto parishes and ratepayers, citing recycling facilities and community spaces as “an example of the government transferring costs to a parish”.
