States police are being handed almost three-quarters-of-a-million-pound lifeline from confiscated criminal assets to upgrade technology struggling to cope with the scale and complexity of digital crime.
In a ministerial decision, Treasury Minister Deputy Elaine Millar approved the allocation of up to £725,000 from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund to modernise existing systems, storage and licensing.
“The Digital Forensics Unit has reached a position where existing systems, storage and licensing require upgrading to continue to meet the scale and complexity of digital crime, including supporting the Violence Against Women and Girls taskforce,” she explained.
It comes just days after the Jersey Police Authority chair warned that the force would face “pinch points” from 2027 onwards despite a modest £240,000 budget increase approved in December.
The funding will be drawn from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund, which holds balances from the confiscation of proceeds of crime and is intended to “provide funds towards activities to meet ongoing criminal activities, or the legal implications of investigations”.
The Attorney General was consulted on the use of the funds before approval was granted.
The decision comes against a backdrop of mounting warnings from senior officers about unsustainable pressure on the force.
Detective Chief Inspector Craig Jackson recently told a scrutiny panel that the force is “currently experiencing unprecedented demand” from violence against women and girls cases, mental health incidents, and a raft of new legislation.
And Jersey could see up to 270 additional crimes recorded annually if a raft of new laws tackling violence against women and girls are approved – an increase of up to 9% in overall recorded crime.
Jersey Police Authority chair Simon Harman has repeatedly warned that “approximately 91% of the police budget is attributable to staff costs”, leaving minimal flexibility to absorb new demands or invest in critical infrastructure.
Although he described the £240,000 budget boost as making 2026 funding “probably sufficient”, he cautioned that “it’s next year we feel the pinch points may come”.
Mr Harman has also previously warned that “underfunding in policing carries significant operational, reputational and social risks” and that new laws “inevitably impact on police demand but attract no additional funding”.
