States of Jersey Police: Policing Plan 2014

STATES OF JERSEY

STATES OF JERSEY POLICE: POLICING PLAN 2014

Presented to the States on 9th January 2014 by the Minister for Home Affairs

STATES GREFFE

2014   Price code: C  R.2

POLICING JERSEY 2014

States of Jersey Police Policing Plan 2014

www.jersey.police.uk

1

Contents

Page Foreword by the Home Affairs Minister  3

Introduction by the Chief Officer  4 A word from our Honorary Colleagues  5 About the 2014 Policing Plan  6 Strategic direction  7 Being visible and responsive  8 Protecting our communities from harm  10 Bringing offenders to justice  12 Enhancing trust and confidence  13 Improving value for money  15 Investing for the future  17 Resources  18 Appendices:

A : Police priorities, JASS survey (2012) 19

B : Key performance outcome measures 20

Foreword by the Home Affairs Minister

The Annual Policing Plan is an important document because it sets out the priorities and approach for 2014 of the States of Jersey Police. Although the Police Authority is partly set up, its members are not yet sufficiently up to speed to feel that they can have significant input into the Plan. Next year the Police Authority will have a very substantial influence on the Plan.

It should be clear to anybody living in Jersey that under Chief Officer Bowron's leadership  there  has  been  a  considerable  change  in  the  emphasis  and  style  of policing; not only are police officers now highly visible and provide reassurance to residents and visitors, but our police service is now more in touch with the Island's needs and priorities. We also continue to enjoy a significant reduction in levels of recorded crime.

The 2014 Policing Plan seeks to build on the successes of recent years and will continue to focus on issues that are current and important to us all. In addition, it also recognises the new threats posed by the internet and technology, as well as the ever-present danger and impact to our community presented by domestic violence, anti-social behaviour, road traffic accidents and the misuse of drugs.

I  am  particularly  pleased  that  this  year's  plan  also  acknowledges  the  need  to research and invest for the future. It remains important that our Police Force has the techniques, skills and equipment that are relevant to fighting crime in today's modern and technologically advanced world. These reviews will also underpin the on-going  programme  of  workforce  modernisation  which  is  designed  to  increase flexibility, efficiency and effectiveness.

This will be the last Policing Plan for which I shall have responsibility. My successor as Minister for Home Affairs and the Police Authority will assume responsibility for a high-performing Police Force that is well led and managed. It is a Force that sees itself as part of our close-knit Island community but knows that there is no room for complacency. Our Police Force has a genuine desire to continually improve services, deliver value for money and, most importantly, keep people safe.

I am confident that the successful implementation of the 2014 Policing Plan will continue to enhance public safety and I am very happy to give it my approval.

Ian Le Marquand Minister for Home Affairs

Introduction by the Chief Officer

This Policing Plan marks the start of my fourth year as Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police and I remain as excited about the future challenges and opportunities as I did on my first day. 2013 saw a third successive year-on-year fall in the levels of recorded crime, making Jersey one of the safest places in which to live or visit. However there is no room for complacency. 2013 also saw the introduction of Jersey's first Police Authority and I am looking forward to a strong and effective partnership developing to help us to reduce crime even further.

I am also delighted that, in today's era of financial prudence, we have received approval to build a new Police Headquarters and that construction is due to start in 2014.   Whilst  we  have  already  delivered  a  number  of  efficiencies  and  financial savings,  we  can  no  longer  expect  to  receive  ever  increasing  budgets  and  the challenge for us all will be to create an environment where we continuously seek to maximise our own efficiency and effectiveness. Our adoption of Lean' during 2014 is a key step to achieving this.

Sir  Robert  Peel  articulated  the  principles  of  Policing  –  these  are  focused  on protecting people and property, and preventing and detecting crime. Whilst these principles are still as relevant today, they need to be applied to the very different social, economic and technological context of the 21st Century – reinforcing that it is essential for policing to continue to evolve in order to reflect the communities we serve.   For  example,  this  year's  Policing  Plan  identifies  the  need  to  review opportunities to use mobile technology as well as those with social media.

It remains vital that we can respond quickly and flexibly to changing crime trends and patterns, particularly in today's global and technologically advanced age. To achieve this we need to continue to modernise our working practices, systems and processes, as well as giving our people the new skills and development opportunities they both need and deserve.

Whilst this is an essential part of being fit for the future, I am also determined that we retain some old fashioned principles of being public servants, working for the community and providing value for money. These are reflected in our organisational values which will help to shape officers' decision making in the future. Robert Peel also recognised that policing requires public consent. I would like to thank Islanders for  their  continued  support,  whether  as  a  member  of  the  Honorary  Police, volunteers, business or in any other capacity; I am humbled by the deep-rooted sense  of  island  community  and  pride,  and  it  remains our  privilege to  serve the people of Jersey.

Mike Bowron QPM Chief Officer

A word from our Honorary Colleagues

It gives me great pleasure to be able to contribute to the States of Jersey Policing Plan for 2014 on behalf of the Honorary Police of Jersey. I believe in 2013 we have achieved a greater understanding by the public of the role of the Honorary Police and this can be attributable not only to the positive comments in the media but also the strong working relationship we have with States of Jersey Police.

The general public now have more of an appreciation of the roles of the States Police and the work carried out by the Honorary Officers. There will be no change of direction for 2014 as we will be working together with the same ethos of making the Island a safer place for all who live and work here.

It is also important to understand that the Honorary Police are first and foremost there to look after its Parish community and it is this that makes the system unique. We are of course called upon to help out in parishes other than our own but this is when there is a larger incident or situation which requires further manpower.

For an Island and a community of our size we hold many unique events and I cannot see that diminishing over the next few years. We have the Island Games coming up in 2015 as well as many others in development and we will continue to play a vital role in all of these.

Many events have become part of our core role including Jersey Live, the Battle of Flowers, Air Display, the Car Rally, the Marathon and Royal visits, amongst others. They all rely on the good working relationship built between the two organisations.

It is important to stress that the partnership we have is reflected at all levels – from senior managers to front line officers and I cannot thank those at the top enough for involving us in a much more positive way. The use of the States of Jersey Police training department and a much more robust training schedule for our officers has meant that we have a greater understanding of the work of the States Police and plans are already in place to continue this next year.

In fact, following work as an Honorary, three officers have joined the States of Jersey Police and this is something I would encourage and look forward to seeing repeated in 2014. We may be Police officers by dint of the oath taken in the Royal Court but we are not full time or front line. We are here to help and support our colleagues in the States Police and this is what I see as our main aim for 2014.

Finally can I, on behalf of the Honorary Police of Jersey, thank Chief Officer Mike Bowron and his team for suggesting that we make comment. Being the head of the Honorary Police Association I feel privileged to see our two organisations working closely together for the welfare and safety of the people of Jersey and long may this partnership continue.

Hugh Raymond

President of the Honorary Police Association

About the 2014 Policing Plan

This Policing Plan sets out what we will do in 2014 to keep you, your family, your friends and your property safe, whilst continuing to spend your money wisely.

Developing this Plan

In planning ahead for 2014, we have:

• Asked  the  public  and  our  partner  agencies  for  their  views  on  policing objectives and priorities;

• Undertaken  our  own  Strategic  Threat  Assessment  to  identify  the  most significant on-going and emerging police issues facing the Island;

• Taken stock of what we achieved in 2013 and reviewed the impact of new initiatives on service delivery;

• Identified new opportunities to consolidate and build upon the delivery of our commitments in the year ahead.

The Police formally seek public views via the Jersey Annual Social Survey (JASS) biennially. The last JASS survey with questions in relation to policing was in 2012 (a breakdown of findings is at Appendix A) and the next such survey will take place in 2014.

Decision making

It is not possible or practical to write a policing plan, policies or procedures that cover every circumstance or eventuality. This approach would also be too restrictive given the broad and dynamic nature of policing. As a general principle, we want our officers and police staff to use their judgement and discretion within the common framework of our core values:

Visible  We are there when you need us and provide a reassuring presence.

Considerate  We are open, approachable and considerate in our relationships with

the public we serve.

Community  We  are  part  of  our  community,  we  don't  just  police  it.  We  are

committed to keeping Jersey a safe and special place.

Resolute  We are strong and decisive when we need to be, focused on keeping

residents, businesses and visitors safe and feeling secure.

Resourceful  We have the capability to adapt and respond to the unique demands

and challenges of Island policing.

Strategic Direction

Aim

The States of Jersey Police's aim is to support an Island where residents, businesses and visitors are safe and feel secure.

Objectives

We will achieve this by:

• Delivering a fast and effective emergency response;

• Anticipating and preventing criminal activity;

• Protecting people from crime and anti-social behaviour;

• Delivering a supportive and effective response to victims and witnesses;

• Proactively targeting organised crime groups, drug activity and individuals who cause most harm to our community;

• Disrupting the harm caused by alcohol misuse and intervening appropriately;

• Working  with partners and the public  to  bring  offenders  to  account and reduce re-offending;

• Working  with  partners  and  the  public  to  prevent  people  being  killed  or injured on our roads;

• Planning and preparing to respond to any major or serious incidents;

• Delivering an efficient, effective and flexible policing service which provides value for money;

• Playing a part and contributing to the broader States of Jersey public sector, in  particular  the  on-going  public  sector  reform  programme,  as  well  as contributing to the UK national strategic policing system.

Outcomes

To be successful the States of Jersey Police will need to:

• Maintain existing low levels of recorded crime in the Island;

• Continue to be trusted by Islanders and visitors alike;

• Demonstrate that they provide value for tax payers' money.

Key Performance Measures for 2014

In determining the overall performance of the States of Jersey Police, the following broad performance measures are to be adopted:

• Levels of recorded crime;

• Detection rates;

• Levels of customer satisfaction and public confidence in the States of Jersey Police Service;

• Road traffic collision rates.

A more detailed breakdown of performance outcome measures is at Appendix B.

Being visible and responsive

We will continue to:

• Provide a round-the-clock visible policing presence that will uphold the law and reassure the public;

• Respond quickly and effectively to calls for assistance, prioritising resources when we need to;

• Engage  with  local  businesses,  communities  and  minority  groups  so  their policing needs are understood and dealt with effectively;

• Work towards making the town centre a crime-free area that can be enjoyed by everyone.

Community Policing

Two thirds of respondents to the last JASS survey believed that providing a visible policing presence in the community was a high or very high priority for us. The same  proportion  also  stated  that  working  with  local  communities  to  tackle neighbourhood safety problems should be a similar priority.

Over the past three years we have focused on increasing our community presence around the Island and within St. Helier . The Town Policing Unit is now an established part  of  high-street  life  whilst  our  community  officers  provide  a  reassuring, recognisable presence in key rural areas. Specific initiatives, for example "Prison, Me?  No  Way!"  and  Community  days  help  us  to  integrate  and  break  down  any barriers or negative public perceptions that may exist.

• We will continue with our current approach to community policing;

• We  will  continue  to  identify  and  establish  links  with  all  sections  of  our community;

• We  will  continue  with  our  intelligence-led  approach  to  target  a  police response to those neighbourhood issues which can undermine public safety and quality of life;

• We will continue to work closely with our Honorary Police colleagues when dealing with these issues.

Supporting Business

We will look to work closely with local businesses in order to better understand their concerns and to provide practical advice and support, as well as enabling them to help themselves.

Policing the Night Time Economy

80%  of  respondents  to  the  last  JASS  survey  stated  that  patrolling  St.  Helier's nightlife should be a high or very high priority for the States of Jersey Police.

Most of the Island's pubs and nightclubs are located in St. Helier so it is perhaps inevitable that problems will occur at certain points during the evening. However, in 2013 we have seen a noticeable reduction in violence and disorder compared to previous years. We believe that some of our recent initiatives during 2013 have contributed to making St. Helier a safer place at night.

• We will continue to deploy double shifts of officers on Friday and Saturday nights and focus on drunken behaviour;

• We will continue with the dedicated Licensing Team that we established during 2013. This unit exists not only to enforce licensing laws, but also build the necessary partnerships and strategies to support a sustained reduction in night time economy related crime;

• We will continue to work with all businesses, other government departments and volunteer groups associated with the night time economy.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Many of the calls to us about anti-social behaviour relate to young people, excessive noise or persistent traffic problems. Whilst this may appear to some as relatively minor compared to higher-profile crime, we understand that their impact and effect can be quite significant for residents.

• We will continue with our current pro-active and intelligence-led approach to preventing and disrupting anti-social behaviour, targeting the deployment of police officers in response to demand or to known hot-spots;

• A priority for 2014 is to review and refresh our current approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour and its impact in our community, recognising that a joined-up approach with other key partners is essential to the success of any new initiatives.

Protecting our communities from harm

We will continue to:

• Protect children and vulnerable adults from harm and exploitation;

• Work with our partners to help to improve road safety;

• Protect Jersey from economic crime;

• Increase our capacity to deal with internet-based crime;

• Target and bring to justice those who commit serious, organised crime.

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

88% of JASS survey respondents believed that protecting vulnerable adults and children should be a high or very high priority for the States of Jersey Police. A further 80% stated we should work closely with other agencies to monitor and manage sex offenders living in the community.

In 2013, we succeeded with our partner agencies in establishing the MASH (Multi- Agency Safeguarding Hub) and MARAC (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferencing) initiatives.  These  are  cross-departmental  developments  that  aim  to  exchange information  and  provide  joined-up  support  to  vulnerable  children,  adults  and families. In 2014 we will:

• Continue to work with our partners to develop these services;

• Seek, where possible, to implement best practice when investigating cases of child sexual exploitation;

• Allocate sex offence liaison officers to care for victims and their families;

• Continue with Operation Amber which informs the public of issues relating to consent and encourages the reporting of all forms of sexual offending.

Road Safety

Two thirds of respondents to the last JASS survey felt that protecting the safety of all road users should be a high or very high priority.

We currently work closely with partner agencies and are committed to playing our part in making the Island's roads as safe as possible. In 2013 we saw an increase in the number of serious injuries to cyclists compared with 2012; sadly, this included two cyclist fatalities. During 2014 we will:

• Continue to police road safety robustly and maintain focus on the Fatal Four' of drink-driving, speeding, seat-belts and mobile phones;

• Seek to improve vehicle safety by identifying and removing vehicles that are not road worthy;

• Focus on the safety of young cyclists, including a programme of cycle-safety sessions for primary and secondary schools;

• Continue to promote and encourage all cyclists to wear helmets and will expand our bike stop-checks for those who cycle to work;

• Continue our recently launched "Let's Look Out for Each Other" campaign, promoting greater tolerance and mutual respect amongst road users and pedestrians alike.

Internet-based crime  

Internet crime such as identity theft, fraud and cyber-bullying' is a growing problem throughout the UK. In 2013 we appointed a dedicated Cyber-Crime Investigator and delivered Level 1 training to all officers and police staff. In 2014 we will:

• Continue to develop our in-house skills and, in 2014, 12 officers will receive more advanced training and we will also begin an additional programme for all operational supervisors;

• Continue to support the introduction of legislation to counter criminal offences on the internet;

• Continue to advise people how to protect themselves from internet fraud.

Financial crime

Two thirds of JASS survey respondents indicated that protecting the Island from financial crime should be a high or very high policing priority.

Financial crime, international money laundering and terrorist financing continue to develop in terms of complexity and sophistication. The Joint Financial Crimes Unit, which is made up of States of Jersey Police and Customs and Immigration Service staff, work with enforcement agencies in Jersey and globally to prevent, investigate and detect these types of crimes. As part of our commitment to internationally agreed standards, we will:

• Prepare for and support the planned inspection of our Joint Financial Crimes Unit by MoneyVal (a monitoring body of the Council of Europe) during 2014.

Bringing offenders to justice

Jersey is already amongst the safest places to live in Great Britain, and recorded crime fell for the third successive year in 2013. Much of this success is because our focus  has been to  detect  and prevent  high-volume  crime.  This  comes  about  by listening  to  our  communities  and  partner  agencies,  making  sure  our  policing  is intelligence-led and by undertaking long-term, focused operations that target those who are known to be habitual offenders.

Organised Crime

We will continue to work with the Customs and Immigration Service and other local and international partners to better understand, manage and reduce the threats posed by organised crime.

• We will target and look to dismantle local crime groups involved in the supply and distribution of drugs;

• We will focus on mind altering substances.

Operation Hornet

We will continue the success of Operation Hornet by maintaining our focus on all aspects of burglary and acquisitive crime. In addition, during 2014 we will:

• Look to supplement Operation Hornet by giving crime reduction advice, to local businesses, homeowners and visitors to make sure theft and burglary become harder to commit.

Operation Crackdown

88% of JASS survey respondents state that targeting persistent offenders should be a high or very high priority for the States of Jersey Police.

Again, in 2014 we will continue the success of Operation Crackdown where we target a small number of repeat and persistent offenders who, collectively, account for a disproportionate number of crimes across our Island.

• We will also look to disrupt the associated patterns of burglary, drug supply and distribution that can often be associated with prolific offenders;

• In  addition,  we  will  look  to  work  with  partner  agencies,  concerning  the overall management of persistent criminals.

Crime reduction and prevention review

Given the success of these approaches in recent years, we will also take fresh look at how we can help to maintain these low levels of recorded crime in the years ahead, as well as working with our partners and communities to see how we may reduce or prevent them even further.

Enhancing trust and confidence

Policing with consent' is one the fundamental principles of good policing and dates back to Sir Robert Peel. It is therefore important that the public has a sense of trust and confidence in our officers and our plans.

Improving our communications

Until recently, the principal means of gauging public opinion for our services was from the biennial participation in the JASS survey. However, since 2012 the States of Jersey Police has had a dedicated online presence in the form of Facebook and Twitter accounts. These were added to in 2013 as our YouTube, Vine and Cover-It- Live sites also became available. Our Facebook following has risen to 6,500 followers, with the majority being local people, and we now have 2,500 subscribers to our Twitter postings. More recently we have added dedicated Twitter accounts for our Licensing Unit and Dogs Section. In addition we expect our new website to go live at the beginning of the year. During 2014 we will:

• Continue to explore and develop internet and social media technologies in order  to  listen  to  and  communicate  more  effectively  with  the  people  of Jersey;

• Actively seek to engage more with visitors via our social media outlets;

• Continue with traditional communication channels;

• Take a fresh look at the way we market our services and communicate with people and organisations, including how we use modern technologies and their application to policing.

Victim and witness care

Our recently introduced Victim and Witness Care service, which is run by volunteers, continues to go from strength to strength. In 2014 we will continue to:

• Provide a compassionate, high-quality service to victims and witnesses;

• Identify opportunities to improve support for victims and witnesses of crime.

Enhancing police accountability

2013 saw the introduction of the Jersey Police Authority and with it changes to the accountability  arrangements  for  the  States  of  Jersey  Police. Under  these  new arrangements, the Jersey Police Authority has responsibility for the efficiency and effectiveness of the States of Jersey Police and, in due course, will prepare our Policing Plans for approval by the Minister and our Annual Reports.  

New Police Misconduct Order

It is expected that a new Police Misconduct and Unsatisfactory Performance Procedures Order will be enacted in 2014. This will modernise the current approach to complaints made by the public, as well as updating internal misconduct and performance matters for Police Officers.

Body worn cameras

We have recently tested the use of body worn cameras (BWCs) and early indications are positive. In addition to being an excellent source of evidence, Officers also have a greater sense of protection by having a video and audio record of the incidents they attend. In the longer term it is expected that BWCs will help reduce the number of complaints made against police officers, as well as providing opportunities to review and learn where we could have done things better.

Our role in the community

We will continue to participate in a broad range of Island-wide activities and events, as well as supporting individual Islanders where we can. For example:

• Organising and participating in Island community and charity activities;

• Providing work experience where we can;

• Continuing with the Joint Emergency Services open days;

• Working with Schools and Schoolchildren;

• Supporting "Prison, Me? No Way!";

• Identifying ways to become more energy efficient and environmentally aware.

Improving value for money

As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, States of Jersey Police has already delivered over £1.8 million in savings over the last three years. In 2014, we will continue to focus on improving our overall efficiency and effectiveness by:

• Measuring and managing our performance in order to target resources and deliver the most effective results;

• Taking advantage of every opportunity to reduce bureaucracy and cut out waste;

• Working  with  partners  to  procure  and  deliver  joint  services  where appropriate.

Broader States of Jersey public sector reforms

We will continue to support wider States of Jersey initiatives that promote efficiency and effectiveness across the public sector as a whole:

• We consider the ethos of "Lean" to be a particularly important initiative as it promotes both a culture of continuous improvement, as well as helping us to move towards a more-inclusive style of management and leadership;

• We  will  continue  to  participate  in  the  central  "e  Government"  project, supporting and contributing where we can;

• We also continue to support the public sector-wide review into performance management systems.

Existing Projects

We have a number of projects currently underway that will continue into 2014. These are designed to improve service and/or efficiency for the States of Jersey Police:

• Call  Handling:  where  we  are  looking  to  improve  our  service  over  the telephone and on-line as well as releasing uniformed officers to front-line duties;

• We have implemented Phase 1 of the required changes for the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and expect to start work on Phases 2 and 3 during 2014;

• We have developed a new website for the States of Jersey Police which will be live in 2014. Phase 2 of this project will require us to further develop the features of the website in order to deliver a range of efficiencies and service improvements;

• Work has already begun on replacing and/or upgrading our CCTV coverage and this project is set to continue during 2014.

Force Review

During 2013 we reviewed and analysed the changing workloads and demands for our services, as well as working and overtime patterns. This review is likely to identify a broad range of efficiency and effectiveness improvements for implementation during 2014, and potentially beyond.

Management of Police Information and workflow Improvements

In order to maintain access to important UK intelligence and information databases, it is necessary for us to implement certain changes to the way that we manage police information. This also coincides with the forthcoming introduction of Freedom of Information legislation, as well as the need to review our approach to retaining data that we hold. In addition, the move to a new Police HQ also presents opportunities to introduce a number of information workflow improvements. During 2014, we will begin a series of information management projects to cover these issues.

Investing for the future

Investing in our people

In  2013  we  delivered  a  leadership  development  programme  for  100  of  our supervisors  and  managers. This  is  the  first  step  in  a  more  comprehensive programme of change that will equip our people with the skills and tools they need for modern policing. Other related projects include:

• The requirement to modernise our performance management systems;

• The need to continue to build our leadership and management skills on an on-going basis across all police teams;

• Update and upgrade some of our existing people practices and processes;

• We are currently reviewing our overall approach to training and developing our people and this review will be complete during 2014.

New Police Headquarters

Considerable progress has been made towards the development of the new Police Head Quarters and we expect construction to start in early 2014. In the meantime, maintaining our existing buildings to a basic level of safety and functionality requires increasing management attention and resources.

Taser

We believe that Tasers are an essential requirement for of modern policing. We will continue  to  seek  political  support  to  allow  us  to  have  access  to  this  important equipment.

Technology

Easy access to technology and the growing use of mobile internet mean that an online presence is now a part of many people's everyday lives. In May 2012, we went live on Facebook and Twitter. We have found that the internet and social media are increasingly powerful tools for informing communities, providing reassurance and giving out accurate information to reduce rumour and speculation. The ability to reach, and engage with, a significant number of people in a matter of minutes has already proved its worth. Equally, we believe there are opportunities to increase officer  and  police  staff  efficiency  and  effectiveness  through  the  focused  use  of mobile technology.

• We will review the broader use and application of the internet and social media technologies;

• We  will  review  the  potential  for  officers  and  police  staff  to  use  mobile technology in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Resources

States of Jersey Police Budget 2014

This  budget  includes  staff  salary  increments  and  non-staff  inflation  costs,  but excludes any pay award for January 2014.

Income is derived mainly from charges made for vetting checks.

Staff

The breakdown of our workforce by rank or grade is shown in the tables below. These were our establishment figures as of 31 October 2013.

Appendix B – Key Performance Outcome Measures.