States of Jersey Police: Annual Performance Report 2009.

STATES OF JERSEY

STATES OF JERSEY POLICE: ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT 2009

Presented to the States on 19th July 2010 by the Minister for Home Affairs

STATES GREFFE

2010   Price code: C  R.102

STATES OF JERSEY POLICE

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT 2009

CONTENTS

Page Foreword by the Chief Officer  2 The 2009 Policing Plan  3 2009 Policing Plan Key Outcomes -

Crime, disorder, vulnerability and harm are prevented and reduced.  4 More offenders are brought to justice.  9

The public feel safe and are confident in, and satisfied with, our policing service  11 Threats posed by terrorism, financial crime and organised crime are prevented and reduced.  18 The Police deliver sustained efficiency and effectiveness  21

Appendix A: Crime Statistics 2008  23 Contacting the Police  26

FOREWORD BY THE CHIEF OFFICER

This Annual Report provides a welcome opportunity to focus on what matters in the policing of Jersey – the delivery of a high quality, effective public service committed to protecting our community, bringing offenders to justice and making our Island a safer place to live, work and visit.

It is therefore particularly pleasing to report on a year in which the officers and staff of States of Jersey  Police  have  delivered  excellent  results  on  behalf  of  our  community.  Crime  is  down, detections are up and the prolific and violent offenders who pose the greatest threat of harm to society are coming under relentless pressure.

Most importantly, the results of the 2009 Jersey Annual Social Survey showed a strong sense of safety and security amongst the majority of Jersey residents, low levels of concern about crime and strong levels of confidence in the police. The safer and more confident the people of Jersey feel, the better we are doing our job. On that note, it is also pleasing to see that the number of complaints made by members of the public against the Police fell in 2009.

States of Jersey Police recognise that we cannot achieve the community safety outcomes described in this report on our own. Effective partnerships are key to tackling crime and disorder issues in our  Island.  Many  people  make  a  difference  through  their  work  with  agencies  and  voluntary organisations such as Victim Support, Safer St Helier, the Crimestoppers Board, the Domestic Violence Forum, People Against Crime, Prison Me No Way, the Road Safety Panel, the Roseneath Committee of Management, and others. We are also particularly grateful to the Honorary Police for the invaluable support and assistance they provide on a day-to-day basis as we work together to improve community safety and bring offenders to justice.

Looking forward, the challenge is to continue drive progress and deliver the highest possible quality of policing, particularly as resources become tighter. We are looking to introduce changes that will make the Service more attuned to the needs of victims and the communities we serve and will promote the effective working partnerships that are key to community safety. We will also be relentless in our pursuit of the prolific and violent criminals who pose a threat to vulnerable members of our community and society as a whole.

Much of the groundwork to deliver these aims was laid in the restructuring and development work carried out within States of Jersey Police last year and was reflected in the results that began to emerge. I hope that this report demonstrates the progress we have already made and trust that the officers and staff of the Service will enjoy the political and public support they deserve as they work hard to make Jersey safer.

David Warcup Acting Chief Officer

THE 2009 POLICING PLAN

In January 2009, we published a Policing Plan which set out what we intended to do to deliver our aim of Making Jersey Safer'.

The Plan included the illustration below to show the link from the purpose, mission and strategic priorities set out in the Plan through to the outcomes we were seeking to achieve.

The Strategic Priorities were developed following consultation with government, the public and other key stakeholders. Key outcomes provide the benchmark against which the performance of the Service can be measured.

This Annual Report describes how we performed against each of the key outcomes.

KEY OUTCOME

Crime, disorder, vulnerability and harm in the local community are prevented and reduced. Recorded Crime

Recorded  crime  statistics  are  the  principal  source  of  information  regarding  levels  of  crime, disorder, vulnerability and harm' in our community.

Recorded  crime  in  Jersey  fell  to  4,525 offences in 2009, representing a decrease of  6.5%  compared  to  2008.   Figure  1 illustrates  the  downward  trend  in  crime levels in the Island since 2004.

The  crime  figures  need  to  be  set  in  the context of a rising local population, which has  grown  by  5.5%  between  2004  and 2009.[1] That means there are now just 48.9 crimes  recorded  per  1,000  population  in Jersey,  representing  a  reduction  of  over 23% since 2004.

Overview of Crime in 2009

Figure 1: Recorded Crime 2004 - 2009

6000

The profile of offending In Jersey in both 2008 and 2009 is illustrated in Figure 2. This shows that the overall pattern of crime in the Island remained broadly similar to 2008, although crime levels reduced across the three main offence types.

The  largest  reduction  (14%)  was  in  the

Figure 2: Crime Profile 2008-09

Offences Against Property category, which

covers  offences  such  as  arson  and

malicious  damage  to  buildings,  vehicles

and other property. Malicious damage to

vehicles  was  the  most  common  form  of  1500

offence  in  this  category,  accounting  for

nearly  one  in  eight  of  all  the  crimes  1000

recorded last year.  500

Acquisitive Crime covers offences such as  0

theft,  shoplifting,  burglary,  fraud  or

forgery offences. Theft remains the most

common form of recorded crime in Jersey,

accounting  for  over  a  quarter  of  overall

crime  in  2009.  Although  the  overall

number of acquisitive crimes only reduced by 2%, there were significant changes in the profile of offending. Burglary fell by 20% and theft of motor vehicles was down by over 8%, for example, whereas shoplifting increased by 22% and theft or unauthorised taking of pedal cycles increased by 12% compared to 2008.2

Offences against the Person decreased by 7% compared to 2008. This category covers all forms of physical and sexual assault, as well as other offences such as abusive phone calls.

Drugs Offences include a range of crimes involved in the supply and possession of illegal drugs. Overall numbers remained constant compared to 2009. This is an important consideration in comparing overall levels of crime with previous years as changing levels of policing activity targeting  drugs  offences  can  have  a  marked  effect  on  overall  recorded  crime.  Current  drugs offences are about 10% higher than the average for the past five years.

Geographic Profile of Crime  Figure 3: Crime by Parish 2008-09

3500

The geographic distribution of

3000

crime  across  the  Island  also

remained  consistent  between  2500

2008 and 2009.  2000

As  the  main  residential  and  1500

business hub of the Island, with  1000

a large transient population and  500

thriving night time economy, St  0

Helier accounts for nearly two-

thirds of the recorded crime in

the Island. Less than two crimes

per  week  were  recorded  in

seven of Jersey's twelve parishes. This overall profile has remained largely unchanged for several years.

Crime in Detail

The types of crime which tend to worry people the most are those which they can envisage happening  to  them,  such  as

burglary, robbery, vehicle crime  Figure 4: Burglary in Jersey, 1998 - 2009

or physical violence.  600

Burglary

There was a 20% reduction in burglary in Jersey compared to 2008  with  just  333  burglaries being  committed.   From  1998 to  2005,  the  Island  averaged over 490 burglaries a year. The current burglary figures equate to just 3.63 offences per 1,000 population.

2 319 bicycles were reported as having been stolen in 2009. Over 400 lost or stolen bicycles were recovered by the Police during the year.

Robbery

Robbery from either businesses or individuals remains a rare offence in Jersey, with just eight offences in 2009.

Vehicle Crime

Theft from motor vehicles decreased by 10% from 246 in 2008 to 222. There was also an 8% reduction in the number of vehicles stolen or taken without permission over the course of the year (176 offences). The majority of the vehicles concerned are mopeds or motorbikes and most are located and returned to their owners.

Violence against the Person

Violence against the person (1,047 offences) fell by nearly 6% in Jersey during 2009 compared to 2008. Overall, there were 11.41 offences per 1,000 population. Violence can be separated into two broad categories – that which occurs in public spaces and that which takes place in private, often in the home.

Violence in Public Spaces

The number of recorded cases of assault, affray or robbery in public spaces fell by nearly 9% in 2009 compared to 2008 and was at its lowest recorded level in Jersey for the last five years. Within these figures, the number of most serious assaults remained virtually unchanged compared to 2008 (151 compared to 153). Police identified the alleged offender in 86% of these most serious cases and were able to bring a case to court in 54%.

Figure 5: Public Space Violence by Location, 2005-09

Figure  5  shows  the  type  of  450

locations  where  public  space

400

violence has occurred since 2005.

350

It  is  important  to  reiterate  that

300

Jersey  still  lacks  a  strategy  to  250

manage and develop its night time  200

economy.  Such  strategies  have

150

proved  very  successful  in  other

towns and cities across the United  100

Kingdom  in  reducing  demand  on

50

policing,  medical  and  municipal  0

cleaning  services  as  well  as  2004 2005 2006

2007 2008 2009

changing  public  perceptions  of  Commercial/CommunityPremises Licensed Premises Street town safety. Until such time as a

similar  strategy  is  in  place  to  manage  the  night  time  economy  of  St  Helier,  including improvements to late night transport, town planning and licensing legislation, the conditions which underpin current levels of public space violence will essentially remain unchanged and the Police will continue to deal with the consequences.

Domestic Abuse

Domestic  abuse  often  takes  place  behind  closed  doors  and  is  not  reported  to  the  Police. Nevertheless, domestic violence accounted for over 27% of the assaults recorded in Jersey during 2009 and a third of the most serious sexual offences.

States of Jersey Police dealt with 1,025 domestic incidents in 2009, representing an 11% increase compared to 2008. Overall, the number of incidents recorded has increased by 30% in the last two years. Offences were committed in relation to over a third of the incidents in 2009.

Our aim is to ensure victims of domestic abuse are protected and those who commit such crimes are dealt with quickly and positively to reduce offending behaviour. We believe that the increasing number of incidents recorded is because –

enhanced processes have been introduced to ensure those at risk are identified and offered assistance;

more and more victims are breaking their silence and coming forward in the confidence that the Police and other agencies can help make a difference to their lives.

It is always difficult to interpret the significance of changing levels of recorded assaults when under-reporting is a recognised issue. Nevertheless, the increase in domestic incidents means that more vulnerable people are receiving support and advice and more offenders are the subject of positive interventions to tackle their behaviour. It is encouraging, therefore, to note that the number of domestic incidents which involved the most serious levels of physical and sexual violence reduced from 61 in 2008 to 47 in 2009.

Child Protection

The number of referrals to our Public Protection Unit where the police or other agencies identified children considered to be at risk of neglect or physical, emotional or sexual abuse increased by 2.4% to 421 cases in 2009. This increase consolidated the growth of 159% already seen in 2008. The new levels of demand are being driven by two key factors[1] -

Significant improvements in training and awareness concerning child welfare in the past few years have raised awareness and training amongst agencies working with children in Jersey. This means more cases concerning children at risk are being referred by other agencies or identified by police officers during the course of other investigations.

The rapid expansion of the internet and other communications technology has facilitated the online abuse and sexual exploitation of children and young people.

The growth in public protection work is an example of how the Police must adapt and respond to changing patterns of crime. These investigations are invariably complex and resource intensive, requiring specialist skills to work with the victims and can involve forensic expertise to examine computers and other hardware. This sort of police work goes largely unseen and, by its nature, does little to help satisfy the demand for visible policing. Nevertheless, is critically important, as evidenced by the fact that at least one in thirty girls aged between eight and 14 in Jersey are known to have been targeted on line by alleged paedophile networks over the last two years.

Road Safety

The number of road traffic collisions (RTCs) resulting in injury fell slightly from 357 in 2008 to 349 last year. The number of RTCs involving fatal or serious injury increased slightly from 39 in 2008 to 43 in 2009. One person died and fifty sustained serious injuries as a result of these collisions.[2] Careless manoeuvres by drivers and pedestrian actions were identified as the predominant factors contributing to the most serious RTCs in 2009.

222 people were caught drink-driving during 2009, representing an 11% increase compared to 2008. Nearly a third of these offences were identified as a result of road traffic collisions, representing the highest number of drink-drive RTCs recorded in Jersey in the last five years.

382 motorists were dealt with for speeding offences during 2008, representing a 60% reduction compared to 2008.

KEY OUTCOME

More offenders are brought to justice. Introduction

Crime is essentially a social problem and it is beyond the remit of States of Jersey Police to tackle underlying causes such as such as social deprivation, poor education and substance addiction. Addressing these issues is a matter for society as a whole, with government playing a key role by ensuring a concerted strategic approach by a number of agencies, including health, education and social services.

The main role of the police in preventing crime is to detect offenders and collect evidence against them. Effective performance in delivering this role is key –

if criminals are dissuaded from committing offences by the likelihood of their being caught by the police, this helps reduce overall crime levels;

the purpose of sanctions imposed by our parish hall enquiries and courts is to prevent further offending. These interventions can only be given the opportunity to work if the Police are successful in bringing the offenders to justice in the first case;

there is a finite number of active criminals living in our community at any one time. If detections lead to a reduction in this number, particularly those who are the most prolific offenders, then the incidence of crime will reduce.

Detections in 2009

The detection rate in Jersey for 2009 was 33%, representing an increase of five percentage points compared to 2008. This means that 1,486 offences, or a third of recorded crime, resulted in an offender being charged or reported to a Parish Hall Enquiry. This compares with a national average of 28% in England and Wales. Figure 6 shows the detection rates for different offences committed  in  Jersey  during  2009  compared  to  national  averages  in  England  and  Wales  for 2008/09.

It is worth noting that cases where offenders  were  charged  or summonsed for court accounted for just  over  half  of  all  detections  in England and Wales in 2008/09. By comparison,  75%  of  detections  in Jersey  resulted  in  offenders  being charged for court. This means that 25% of crime in Jersey results in an offender  being  charged  or summonsed, compared to an average of 14% in England and Wales. In Jersey,  the  remaining  balance  of sanction detections are dealt with at Parish Hall Enquiries.

Figure 6: Detection Rate by Offence Type

Offences against Property

Vehicle Crime Rape Burglary Robbery

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

The fact that a much greater proportion of detected crime is dealt with at court in Jersey compared to England and Wales carries significant resource implications for the Service, as does the administrative work required to support the Parish Hall Enquiry system. It is beyond the scope of the Police Annual Report to discuss the merits of different judicial processes and their ultimate effectiveness in reducing criminality. The current system in Jersey may deliver better social outcomes in the longer term but it is important to recognise that States of Jersey Police bear significant costs, in both time and money, in supporting and servicing the present arrangements.

Offenders brought to Justice

The 2009 Policing Plan identified key offenders as a specific operational objective in order to focus our effort against those people who posed the greatest threat or were the most prolific in their offending.

In 2009, 1,268 people were charged for court, representing an increase of over 7.5% compared to 2008. Of the offenders prosecuted in 2009, 73% had an existing criminal record compared to 68% in 2008.

In 2009, repeat offenders were charged for court in relation to 2,462 recordable offences. This represents a 27% increase in the number of offences brought to the attention of the court compared to 2008, with the number of charges per offender also increasing from 2.43 to 2.65.

In 2009, the number of first time offenders brought to justice reduced by 10.5% to 340 compared to 2008, but they were dealt with in relation to 729 offences between them. This meant that the average number of offences with which they were charged increased from 2.03 to 2.14.

Nearly 10% of the people dealt with at court or parish hall in Jersey in 2009 had committed five or more crimes and 25 individuals had been caught in relation to between 10 and 42 crimes each.

KEY OUTCOME

The public feel safe and are confident in, and satisfied with, our policing service Introduction

This key outcome recognises the fact that successful policing is not only about bringing offenders to justice and reducing crime. It is just as important that –

people's quality of life is enhanced by the fact that they feel safe at home, at work, or just when they are out and about in Jersey.

the public feel confident in the police and are willing to engage with the Service (eg. reporting crimes or providing information) in the belief that their issues will be dealt with effectively.

the Police demonstrably appreciate and care for the needs of people who need their help and provide a high quality of service, from first contact through to follow up.

Public Perceptions of Safety in Jersey

Overall public perceptions of crime and community safety are identified through questions posed in the independent 2009 Jersey Annual Social Survey (JASS).

Figure 7: How safe or unsafe do you consider your neighbourhood to be? [1]

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Very Safe 46% Fairly Safe 45%

Fairly Unsafe 8%

Very Unsafe 1%

Overall, 91% of respondents who expressed an opinion considered that their neighbourhood was very or fairly safe.

Although overall perceptions of neighbourhood safety have not changed significantly since 2005, there has been a statistically significant increase in the proportion of JASS respondents saying that they felt "very" safe, from 35% in 2005 to 46% in 2009.

Figure 8: How safe or unsafe do you feel when visiting St. Helier town centre at night?[2]

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Always feel safe Usually feel safe

Usually feel unsafe Always feel unsafe

Don't visit because don't feel safe

Amongst those people who actually visit St Helier at night, 71% usually or always feel safe.

Figure 9: How worried are you that you might become a victim of the following in the next 12 months?

Abused/threatened in street Vehicle theft

Vandalism Violent Crime Burglary

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Not at all worried Not very worried Fairly worried Very worried

Compared to 2007, when these questions were last posed in JASS, people were no more worried about burglary or violent crime, marginally more concerned about vehicle theft but slightly less worried about being threatened or abused on the street.[3]

The measures on burglary and violent crime also provide an opportunity to benchmark against England and Wales as the same question is posed in the British Crime Survey –

In Jersey, only 3% of the public were very worried that they might become a victim of burglary in the next 12 months compared to 11% in England and Wales.

Only 4% of the public were very worried that they might become a victim of violent crime in the next 12 months in Jersey, compared to 14% in England and Wales.

Confidence in the Police

Measuring public confidence in policing is a relatively new concept. Confidence is susceptible to factors  such  as  media  reporting  and  likely  to  be  influenced  by  a  wide  range  of  political, demographic and attitudinal issues.

As a broad indicator, JASS asked if people thought that States of Jersey Police were doing a good job of policing Jersey.

Figure 10: Do you agree or disagree that States of Jersey Police do a good job of policing Jersey?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Strongly agree 18%

Tend to agree 62%

Tend to disagree 16%

Strongly disagree 5%

Overall, 80% of respondents who expressed an opinion held a positive view of the performance of the Service in policing Jersey. (The specific views of victims of crime concerning overall Police performance are also sought through our ongoing quality of service surveys. In 2009, 90% of crime victims who expressed an opinion thought the Service was doing at least a fairly good' job with 71% saying a good' or very good' job).

JASS then went on to measure public confidence across a range of situations which broadly represent what people expect the police to do.

Figure 11: Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about States of Jersey Police?

States of Jersey Police...

...would provide a good service if I needed their assistance

...treat me with respect if I have contact with them for any reason ...would listen to me if I had a concern about local community safety ...treat everyone fairly, regardless of who they are

...can be relied upon to be there if I need them

About 83% of people gave a positive opinion of States of Jersey Police in response to at least three of the five confidence' questions.

One  of  the  confidence questions posed in JASS 2009 was  a  repeat  from  2007, enabling  some  comparison over  time  about  people's expectations  of  service  from the  Police  in  Jersey  (see Figure 12).

Overall,  83%  of  respondents who  expressed  an  opinion held positive expectations of the  Police.  These  figures show  an  increase  of  five percentage  points  compared to 2007.

Figure 12: I am confident I would receive a good service from Jersey Police if I needed their assistance

70%

60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%

0%

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree

2009 21% 62% 14% 3% 2007 21% 57% 16% 7%

Satisfaction with the Police

The third component of this key policing outcome is satisfaction with the service received from the Police. Three principal qualitative indicators are used to monitor our performance in this respect with the data being gathered through postal surveys of adults who were victims of crime in 2009.[1]

Satisfaction with Police Call Handling

Overall, 94% of respondents to  our  quality  of  service surveys expressed satisfaction with  the  handling  of  their call.[1]  These  results  show  no significant change from 2008.

Figure 13: Satisfaction with Call Handling

Satisfaction with Service at the Scene

Overall, 94% of respondents to our  quality  of  service  surveys expressed satisfaction with the service  they  received  from attending  officers,  showing  no change compared to 2008. [1]

Figure 14: Satisfaction with Investigating Officer

Feedback on Investigations

Overall, 73% of respondents to  our  quality  of  service surveys  considered  that  they had  been  "very"  or  "fairly" well informed concerning the progress of the investigation.[1] This  represents  a  fall  in performance compared to the figure  of  79%  achieved  in 2008.

Figure 15: Satisfaction with Feedback

Use of Police Powers Custody

3,006 people were detained in Police custody in 2009. This figure includes people who were detained in custody on several different occasions. Another 1,153 people also attended the Police Custody suite on a voluntary basis to assist the Police with their enquiries.

Under the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003 (PPACE) the Police are required to publish information on the number of intimate searches conducted on persons detained in Police custody. One person was the subject of an intimate search conducted by a registered medical practitioner in 2009. The search was for concealed drugs but the result of the search was negative.

PPACE Stop and Search and Vehicle Checks

Under the Police Procedures and Criminal Evidence (Jersey) Law 2003 (PPACE) the Police are required to publish information on the number of PPACE stop and search and vehicle checks carried out by Police officers. No PPACE vehicle checks were conducted in 2009 but the details of PPACE stop and search checks are as follows –

Figure 16: PPACE Searches and Arrests 2009

CS Spray

Since 2002, our officers have carried CS spray and incidents where they use this equipment are closely monitored. In 2009, 13 officers had cause to draw their spray in 12 different incidents. Eleven officers used their CS spray in ten of these incidents, which included three occasions where they were confronted by a person wielding a weapon.

During 2009, forty-two police officers were assaulted during the course of their duties. Firearms

In 2009, 18 authorisations were granted for the deployment of firearms.

Complaints against the Police

Full details of the handling of Police complaints are published in the annual report of the Jersey Police Complaints Authority. In 2009, there were 32 cases involving complaints made by members of the public against Police officers compared with 39 in 2008.

KEY OUTCOME

Threats posed by terrorism, financial crime and organised crime are prevented and reduced. Introduction

The fact that we live in an increasingly global world has changed the nature of the criminal threat posed to the security, social and economic integrity of the Island. Whilst States of Jersey Police continue to perform our traditional role of policing the violent and dishonest members of our local community, we must also contend with the sophisticated challenge posed by criminal organisations from outside the Island.

In April 2009, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary assessed that there were over 2,800 organised crime groups (OCGs) operating across England and Wales. They commented that -

wherever there is money to be made, the tentacles of criminality will spread if not resisted. The drug distribution network in particular is not confined to major urban centres but has spread to town centres large and small, and is linked directly to an increase in the use of serious violence.'  

Jersey is by no means immune to these threats with the most obvious areas of risk being drugs and financial crime.

Drug trafficking and distribution is the most widespread and lucrative business activity for organised crime and Jersey's lucrative illegal drugs market inevitably draws criminal interest from  the  United  Kingdom  and  Europe.  Our  challenge  is  to  prevent  such  organisations establishing themselves in the Island.

Organised crime groups also use increasingly sophisticated means to hide the profits of drug trafficking and other illegal activities, using professional expertise to help find ways to launder money  and  legitimise'  illegal  earnings.  By  working  closely  with  the  Financial  Services Commission and the industry, our aim is to prevent, disrupt and detect the exploitation of our financial services industry for criminal purposes.

What did we achieve?

Preventing organised crime securing direct control of drugs supply in Jersey is key to protecting our community. A disjointed drugs market serviced by relatively disorganised and unsophisticated small scale local criminals, acting independently or on behalf of organised crime groups based outside Jersey, is a different proposition to one where criminal businesses have secured control of supply and are able to manage and develop demand.

The conviction in November 2009 of one of Britain's most influential criminals for conspiring to import £1 million worth of illegal drugs into the Island as "a little starter" provided a stark reminder of the reality of this threat. The conviction of Curtis Warr en and his associates was a high profile success for the States of Jersey Police in our sustained effort against serious and organised crime. Other notable successes included –

On  12th  January,  a  local  man  and  a  UK  associate  were  sentenced  to  up  to  28  months imprisonment at Southampton Crown Court for conspiracy to export 25kg of cannabis resin to Jersey. This was the culmination of a joint investigation with Hampshire Constabulary in the spring and summer of 2008.

On 30th January, two Jersey residents were charged with drug trafficking offences following a Police operation which seized heroin with a street value of over £42,000. They received sentences of up to four years imprisonment in August 2009.

On 19th February, a UK man was jailed for eight years following a Police operation in June 2008 which seized heroin and cocaine with a street value of £135,000.

On 11th June, a UK man residing in Jersey was charged with supplying cocaine. He received a four-year sentence in March 2010.

On 19th June, a UK man residing in Jersey was charged with drug trafficking offences following a Police operation which seized cocaine and cannabis with a potential street value of £12,500. In December, the Court imposed sentences for these and other offences totalling 21 months imprisonment.

On 26 June, a Jersey resident and a UK associate were charged with drug trafficking offences following a Police operation which seized cocaine with an estimated street value of £200,000.

On 4th August, three Jersey residents received sentences of up to six years in prison following a Police operation in December 2008 targeting a plan to import £100,000 of heroin into Jersey.

On 27th August, a UK man residing in Jersey was charged with drugs offences following the seizure of commercial quantities of ecstasy and cannabis in a Police raid. He received a sentence of 12 months imprisonment.

On 3rd December, four men from the UK and two Jerseymen were sentenced to between five and thirteen years for conspiring to import £1 million worth of cannabis into the Island in 2007.

These successes, often the culmination of prolonged and complex investigations, demonstrate to criminals that Jersey is a hostile environment where they run a significant risk of being brought to justice.

Aside from the targeted operations against the criminals responsible for organising drugs supply, policing activity also maintained the pressure on street dealers working further down the supply chain. Overall, 279 drugs offences were recorded in 2009. Financial damage was also inflicted on criminal organisations through the seizure of illegal drugs with a street value of £823,000 and associated cash in the sum of £25,000.

Financial Crime

Jersey's compliance with international standards to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism were the subject of a full assessment by an IMF inspection team towards the end of 2008. Their report provided an objective review of the current efficiency and effectiveness of the Joint Financial Crimes Unit (JFCU).

In their inspection report, the IMF stated that the JFCU carries out the role of a financial intelligence unit effectively' but also recommended that its Intelligence Wing should be adequately staffed to perform its function' and expressed concern at the resource constraints affecting the JFCU'.[1]

The IMF findings confirmed our consistent warnings that the growth in Jersey's finance industry and the increasing scope of regulatory services and AML legalisation in the Island have not been matched by comparable government investment in JFCU resources. Workload in the JFCU continued to grow in 2009, with the number of suspicious activity reports received increasing by 22% to 1,854. At the same time, the number of requests for assistance, mainly from other jurisdictions, increased to 533, a growth of over 9% on the previous year. The Unit does not have the capacity to absorb this extra work without increasing backlogs of outstanding cases and, as identified by the IMF, reduced capacity for investigation and asset recovery.

KEY OUTCOME

The Police deliver sustained efficiency and effectiveness Introduction

The States of Jersey are committed to ensuring that government services are necessary, efficient and of good quality.

States of Jersey Police received a budget of £23 million in 2009. The key challenge to the Service is to demonstrate that we use the resources appropriately and deliver value for money.

Delivering Efficiency and Effectiveness

Policing effectiveness can be assessed against the key outcomes described in this report. These results were all achieved whilst delivering a balanced budget in 2009.

In 2009, States of Jersey Police had a funded establishment of 236 police officers and 86 civilian staff. This equates to 3.51 staff per 1,000 population, which compares to a national average across England and Wales of 4.49 staff per 1,000 population.

It is particularly important to note that the actual funded strength of States of Jersey Police has reduced from 352 posts in 1995 to 322 posts in 2009, a reduction of 8.5%.[2] Over the same period, the Police Service in England and Wales has grown by over 34%. The Island also continues to have a lower ratio of funded Police posts per head of population than comparable jurisdictions like Guernsey, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar.

The growth in police resources nationally reflects the increasing demands on policing due to changes in the regulatory environment, required investigation standards and the growing volume of more  complex  investigations.  Jersey's  experience  is  no  different.  Whilst  the  actual  resource capacity of the Service has reduced since 1995, the legislative framework within which local policing operates has changed significantly.

The  demands  faced  across  these  areas,  set  against  dwindling  resource  capacity,  have  driven increasingly difficult choices about service provision. Critical areas of risk must take priority, particularly when significant increases in demand such as those highlighted in this report, (eg; child protection and financial crime investigation) have to be taken into account. During 2009, considerable effort was invested in streamlining processes and challenging how work gets done.

In February 2009, a team of officers from the Lancashire Constabulary carried out a review of  tasking  processes  within  the  States  of  Jersey  Police.  As  a  result  of  their  22 recommendations, the Service introduced improvements to the strategic tasking of high level crime threats, for example drugs, financial crime and the protection of vulnerable people.

In April 2009, the Acting Chief Officer commissioned an internal review of the way in which the States of Jersey Police was structured and resourced. This study re-aligned the operational and support functions into the appropriate business areas to provide a more streamlined organisational structure for service delivery.

In May 2009, the Service commenced a review of the internal business processes supporting the criminal justice system and the quality of files submitted for consideration of prosecution.

In May 2009, the Service reviewed its Missing Persons Policy to ensure compliance with best practise on the management, recording and investigation of missing persons. The new policy introduced an unauthorised absence category, primarily designed for use with persistent absconders from care homes, who accounted for the vast majority of persons reported as missing to the Police. 1,133 missing person or unauthorised absences were reported to the Police in 2009, with the majority relating to young people from children's homes.

In June 2009, an in-house development project began to replace and update the Force's intelligence systems.

In November 2009, the Acting Chief Officer requested the Chief Internal Auditor to commission an audit of the adequacy and effectiveness of the systems and procedures currently being used for vehicle fleet management within the States of Jersey Police and to provide recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness going forward.

In November 2009, the Acting Chief Officer requested the Chief Internal Auditor to commission an audit of the management of lost, found, seized and detained property within Sattes of Jersey Police.

In November 2009, the Service commenced a major in-house review of call management and resource deployment. The objectives of the project are to increase operational capacity, ensure more effective and efficient management of demand, align service delivery with core policing objectives and improve citizen focussed service.

In December 2009, the Service introduced a defined corporate framework for the development, monitoring and review of Force policies, setting out the roles, responsibilities, ownership and accountabilities of staff.

In December 2009, States of Jersey Police introduced a telephone interpreting service to facilitate communication with non-English speakers. The demand for language service is increasing every year and it is essential to ensure that offenders, victims and witnesses are able to access services.

In December 2009, the Service updated its policy and procedure to deal with Investigating Child Abuse and Neglect and Safeguarding Children. to take into account new national guidance from ACPO and other learning from Serious Case Reviews.

In December 2009, the Service's Domestic Abuse Policy was upgraded to take into account new national guidance from ACPO in 2008, new local harassment legislation and the introduction of domestic abuse risk assessments

In December 2009, the Service considered an initial report concerning the adoption of a community policing model by States of Jersey Police. These proposals will be further developed in 2010.

APPENDIX A: CRIME STATISTICS 2008-09