Will the stated major objective of extending the Police Chief’s contract to enable the development of a senior succession plan be achieved before the current post holder’s departure

2.12   Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding succession planning for the post of Police Chief:

Would the Minister advise whether the stated major objective of extending the Police Chief's contract, namely to enable the development of a senior succession plan, will be achieved before the current post holder's departure?

Senator W. Kinnard (The Minister for Home Affairs):

Yes, Sir, there is no reason to believe that the succession arrangements approved by the States Employment Board will not be achieved before the current chief retires in 2010.

1. Deputy R.G. Le Hérissier:

Thank you. Would the Minister confirm that part of this policy of course is to enable suitably qualified local people to move into the post, and given that the chief has now been many years in position and has had that extended to further this particular objective, would she confirm that it is very likely that a local person will, following his departure, succeed him?

Senator W. Kinnard:

Yes, we certainly hope that will be the case and we are anticipating that at least 2 candidates will be in a position to apply for the position of the Deputy Chief Officer.

2. Deputy J.B. Fox of St. Helier :

To continue on from that question, the Minister finally gave me eventually a succession planning for 2 local candidates in the preliminary stages for the senior command course, which was Bramshill, or this succession planning and they were also able to go for qualifications for the supported degree courses. But I understand, and this is what I would seek clarification, that before anybody can take up a Chief Officer's post in Jersey they have to serve for 5 years on the U.K. mainland at an A.C.P.O. (Association of Chief Police Officers) rank which would then in effect make it virtually impossible for a local candidate, unless they wished to spend 5 years in the U.K., from becoming a candidate for local Chief Officer of Police. Can the Minister comment on this or confirm this please?

Senator W. Kinnard:

Can I explain? I meant to go on to say, and then there will be an opportunity to potentially apply for the role of Chief Officer. If I can explain to Members, Sir, there are 2 potential options that were open to Home Affairs and the States. The problem is that the 3 most senior ranking officers of the States of Jersey Police are all due to leave the force within a period of 22 months. The Superintendent has already left in August 2007 and the Deputy Chief is due to leave in August 2008.  Therefore, Sir, as I say, there are 2 options. One option was to advertise for a Chief Officer to succeed the current Chief Officer at the end of his original term, but the problem with that, Sir,

would have meant that it would have been a candidate most certainly from outside the Island and it

would have meant also then that quite quickly the post would shortly afterwards be advertised for Deputy Chief Officer, and it would be unlikely that a local candidate at that point would be ready at that point in time. So, the preferred option 2 was to extend the contract of the present Chief Officer for a maximum period of 3 years and to advertise the post of the Deputy Chief and the advert itself, Sir, would stipulate the criteria required for the rank of the Chief Officer so that there would be a strong inference in the advert that the successful candidate would be well placed to accede to the rank of Chief Officer. The idea, Sir, is that would allow the encouragement of local candidates to develop themselves and be in a position, Sir, to take up career opportunities as time moves on. The recommendation of option 2, Sir, as the planned way forward was agreed with the States Employment Board and that is the way that we are proceeding. The answer to Deputy Fox in terms of his training, we do still send officers to Bramshill, Sir, and the recommendations as to the qualifications for a person applying to be a Chief Officer of Police are as set out originally in the Clothier Report and also agreed by the Home Affairs Committee at the time that it accepted those recommendations and therefore those became part of the requirements. Individual officers are trained --

Senator S. Syvret:

Sir, this is beginning to look like filibustering the question time period.

Senator W. Kinnard:

I am trying to answer, Sir.

The Bailiff :

You must be succinct, Minister. Have you come to a close?

Senator W. Kinnard:

Yes, Sir, except all I am trying to say is that we take every opportunity to train our local officers so that they will be in a position to compete for the top jobs.

3. Senator S. Syvret:

Would the Minister for Home Affairs agree with me that sometimes very senior posts such as Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, are better filled by people from outside of the Island and would she agree with me that in fact this Chief Officer and his Deputy , Mr. Harper, unbeknownst to perhaps many members of the public have done stalwart work in law enforcement terms behind the scenes, often in very difficult, very taxing circumstances.

Senator W. Kinnard:

I am surprised by the comment but most gratified by it, and I would agree with him that the Police

Chief and his Deputy have done some absolutely stalwart work on behalf of the community. It is

the case, Sir, that in the U.K. in a local community a Chief Officer is not taken from within that local community but I think in an island such as ours we have to ensure that an individual is properly trained but they also have the opportunities open to them. But I do accept that there are circumstances when it might be appropriate for an outside officer to take the position.

4. Deputy I.J. Gorst of St. St. Clement :

Notwithstanding the last question and the Minister's answer to it, I just wonder if she could clarify something for me. I am not sure if it is early in the morning, I am not really getting it, but I just want her to confirm that the situation is that she expects to have 2 local people that will be in a position on a level playing field to apply for the position of Deputy Chief who will then, when the current Chief's extended term of office comes to an end, will be able to apply on the level playing field and have every expectation to be considered in the rounds for that position.

Senator W. Kinnard: Yes, Sir.

5. Deputy J.B. Fox:

Can the Minister confirm that any such local candidate will be required to have spent 5 years at an

A.C.P.O. rank in the United Kingdom before they can be eligible to apply and become Chief of

Police in Jersey?

Senator W. Kinnard:

That would be ordinarily an expectation but it is just an expectation. It will not be, I believe, necessarily a requirement. It will be a matter for the States Employment Board at the time in its decision as to who would be appropriate.

6. Deputy J.B. Fox:

Can the Minister ensure that these points are clarified with the Human Resources and with the Police Association and the Police Service as well, because this is not the understanding that I have at this moment in time?

Senator W. Kinnard:

Yes, I will be happy to do so.