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- Deputy D.W. Mezbourian of the Chairman of the Comité des Connétable s regarding the number of honorary police officers engaged on duty in connection with recent functions and the number of man hours involved:
Will the Chairman inform Members of the number of honorary police officers engaged on duty in connection with the functions at the Royal Jersey Showground and Howard Davis Park on Friday and Saturday, 1st and 2nd September, and also advise separately the number of man hours involved in the policing by the honorary police of each event?
Connétable K.P. Vibert of St. Ouen (Chairman of the Comite des Connetables): Before I go and try and reply to that question, can I thank the Deputy for having asked
the question, because it gives me the opportunity to highlight the work of the
honorary police with regard to these events. Jersey Live at the Royal Jersey Showground, some 53 honorary police officers from across the Island were involved over the 2 days of this event. On the Friday, officers started at 4.00 p.m. and finished after midnight, and on the Saturday, honorary officers started at 9.00 a.m. and finished well after 1.00 a.m. on the Sunday morning. During the final hours of the event, 37 honorary officers were on duty. In total, approximately 779 hours of honorary police time were given to the policing of this event at no cost to the Island or the event organisers. No man-hour figure is available for the numerous pre-event planning meetings which were held, at which honorary officers were also present. The Proms in the Park at Howard Davis Park, a total of 6 officers were on duty that night; 4 officers from St. Saviour and 2 from St. Helier, and gave a total of 28 man-hours. Again, this does not include the time given to pre-planning meetings. For avoidance of any doubt, all the Parishes were still covered by honorary police duty crews, despite the large amount of officers involved in these 2 events, and although all these officers will be thanked individually by the Connétable s, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all these volunteers for their service to the Island.
- Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:
I thank the Connétable . Would the Connétable confirm that planning is indeed a joint equal partner endeavour, and that when the style of policing has been considered, it has been considered with full input from the honorary police and not sort of imported notions: for example, of riot squads and so forth; and secondly, Sir, would he confirm that, perhaps contrary to what we were informed earlier, that if people do have
concerns about the size of events, there are bodies like the Bailiff s Advisory Panel - which are in place and under the broad remit of health and safety - so, for example, these matters can be fully considered and that there is no reason for large events to go ahead which appear to be almost uncontrollable or are deemed as such in certain quarters?
The Connétable of St. Ouen :
The easy answer is yes and yes, but I can confirm that honorary officers were involved in the pre-planning of these events, and yes, I think it is an issue which we are going to have to face in the future, where the policing of these large events is going to call more and more on honorary police time.
- Deputy J.A. Martin:
Is the Chairman able to confirm whether in fact the honorary officers really provided the frontline policing of some of these activities, and the States' police were being held in reserve?
The Connétable of St. Ouen :
The effort was a joint effort, although I think that what the Deputy is asking is whether the honorary officers were standing outside doing the controlling, and that is in fact what happened, yes.
- Deputy C.H. Egré of St. Peter :
Would the Chairman of the Comité des Connétable s also confirm that honorary
officers were heavily concerned with the recent air display, and that was another addition to the task that they offer this Island?
The Connétable of St. Ouen :
I can confirm that honorary officers are involved in every event which occurs across the Island, and I was merely asked questions about these 2 events, which are the ones I answered, but certainly ...
The Deputy Bailiff :
I do not think anyone is encouraging you to go wider.
The Connétable of St. Ouen :
Well, exactly. But on the other hand, I will take the opportunity of saying, Sir, that
the Island owes an incredible debt of gratitude to all these people who give freely of
their time to serve their fellow Islanders.
The Deputy Bailiff :
Very well. On that note; question time ...
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
Could I raise a matter relating to questions that have been answered this morning? It is a good time to do that?
The Deputy Bailiff : Yes.
The Connétable of St. Helier :
I note that neither the Minister nor the Assistant Minister of Transport and Technical Services are in the Chamber at the moment. During questions about the use of sewage sludge, I believe that it was stated to the Assembly that sludge is not being used; it is of no concern to St. Helier because it is not being deployed in St. Helier, but is being spread in St. John, St. Martin and Trinity , and it is being processed at Howard Davis Farm. I have been given, Sir, a copy of the briefing notes, where it
says quite clearly that the mixing process was undertaken at La Collette, and I believe that the House has been misinformed, and I think a correction would be appropriate from the Minister or Assistant Minister.
The Deputy Bailiff :
Well, as neither of them is here, perhaps you would like to raise it at a convenient moment when they are. Very well. We come next to questions without notice, and firstly questions to the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture.