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User Pays Charges: States of Jersey Police (P.176/2009) – comments

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STATES OF JERSEY

USER PAYS' CHARGES: STATES OF JERSEY POLICE (P.176/2009) – COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 8th December 2009 by the Comité des Connétable s

STATES GREFFE

2009   Price code: A  P.176 Com.

COMMENTS

The proposition, if approved by the States, would permit the States of Jersey Police to levy charges for the policing of events run by commercial organisations. The charges would be the cost of overtime payments for local police officers, the cost of any officers from outside the Island, any specialist equipment required for policing the event  and,  if  deemed  appropriate  by  the  Comité  des  Chefs  de  Police,  expenses incurred by the Honorary Police. The proposition does not, however, enable the States of Jersey Police to assess and recover the opportunity cost of having to deploy officers to police an event instead of undertaking policing duties elsewhere in the Island. This would seem to be an omission, as a commercial organisation might not pay a realistic cost for the policing services received.

The issue of recovery of expenses incurred by the Honorary Police has been added at the request of the Parishes. Only expenses would be recovered, and if an additional contribution was made to the Honorary Police it would be donated to charity.

The Connétable s are generally supportive of the proposal, but have expressed concern that the States Police determine the policing level required and then charge for that provision. The Comité understands that the level of policing required at a particular event takes into account the inability of the States Police to call on assistance from neighbouring  forces,  as  is  possible  in  the  United  Kingdom;  and  also  the  risk assessment taking into account factors such as the current binge-drinking culture.

The Comité considers there should also be an appeal mechanism for anyone aggrieved by the proposed charge, and therefore supports the amendment of the Deputy of St. Martin .

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P.176/2009 Com.