POLICE must not become the “default response” to mental-health incidents when other services are better placed to help, the independent body overseeing the force has warned.
The Jersey Police Authority said such incidents could place “significant demands” on police resources – and stressed the importance of effective support across government to help prevent vulnerable Islanders reaching crisis point.
Its warning follows previous evidence that specialist mental-health provision had reduced demands on officers, alongside concerns about how a dedicated “place of safety” was being used.
In a submission to politicians examining the proposed government Budget, the authority also stopped short of giving an unqualified assurance that funding would meet policing demands throughout the period to 2030, warning that the volume and complexity of police work could change materially.
The submission, signed by authority chair Simon Harman, states: “The Police clearly have an important role where there is an immediate risk to an individual or the wider public.
“The Authority does not, however, consider that policing should become the default response where another service is better placed to address an individual’s underlying needs.”
The authority identified mental-health services, safeguarding and early support for children, young people and vulnerable individuals as areas where effective investment could reduce harm and prevent situations escalating until police intervention became necessary.
However, it cautioned that “investment alone is unlikely to be sufficient”, stressing that coordination between police and other agencies was equally important in getting people appropriate support early.
Health managing director Andy Weir said the department has “well-established partnership arrangements with the police”.
“We have undertaken significant work in this area in recent years,” he told the JEP.
“This includes having a monthly joint meeting where we discuss joint work, delivering joint training, and monitoring in detail the involvement of police in mental health incidents – which has reduced significantly as a result, despite the pressures on both police and mental health services. This partnership work is ongoing.”
The importance of specialist provision was highlighted in the police annual report published last year, which credited the Article 36 suite at Clinique Pinel with halving the average time officers spent taking Islanders facing a mental-health crisis to a place of safety, from seven hours to three-and-a-half.
The suite opened in September 2024 following a £10.7 million redevelopment of the mental-health ward.
Article 36 allows police to remove someone from a public place if they believe the person is suffering from a mental disorder and needs immediate care or control. They can be held in a place of safety for up to 72 hours while their needs are assessed.
However, a health committee report highlighted in September 2025 raised “concerns around its use for intoxicated individuals”.
The police annual report also credited increased use of the Mental Health Triage Team with reducing the number of mental-health incidents officers attended, from 982 to 797 in 2024. It recorded a 9% reduction in Article 36 detentions over the same period.
The authority’s latest submission was made to the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel for its review of the proposed Budget for 2027–2030.
It described its overall position as one of “cautious confidence”, saying the spending plans provided a reasonable basis for police to meet their statutory responsibilities. It was not currently identifying a specific additional funding requirement.
However, staffing resilience, specialist expertise and the ability to keep pace with technological change would require continuing attention.
Should evidence emerge that resources could not meet operational needs without adversely affecting policing capability or public protection, the authority said those pressures should be identified and considered.
It also stressed that value for money should reflect policing quality and outcomes for Islanders, alongside expenditure.
“Policing must retain sufficient resilience and flexibility to respond to changes in demand, complexity and risk,” it concluded.
