Do all States of Jersey Police Cadets now have all their basic training completed in Jersey

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS BY DEPUTY S.S.P.A. POWER OF ST. BRELADE

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 13th JUNE 2008

Question

"Can the Minister confirm whether –

1. al l States of Jersey PoliceCadets now haveall their basic training completed in Jersey?
2. w h ether any useofmadeofPolice Training Colleges such as Ashford inKent and, if not, why?
3. w h ether any provisionismade to allow Jersey Police Officers to carryoutpolicework and study in the UK with UK police forces for training and experience purposes?
4. w h ether any provisionismade for Jersey Police Cadets andJerseyPoliceOfficers to study and become familiar with UK Criminal Law, as well as Jersey Law?"

Answer

1. N e w officers arenot cadets; they are swornin police officers from the commencementof their training.

A s i s now the case with all UK forces, the States of Jersey Police are responsible for providing their own

foundation training for new police officers. The States of Jersey Police have been running the in-house foundation training since July 2005.

T h is is an extensive fifteen week training programme, which provides inputs on local law and procedures

from week one. A number of practical tasks are included to assess each officer on their ability to put into practice the classroom based lessons. This knowledge is further tested in formal law based examinations. Some of these practical tasks are conducted in public areas, for example the pocket notebook exercise is conducted in the town area and officers ask members of the public a number of questions.

Fitness and officer safety are key parts of the programme.

C o m m unity involvement in the force's training programme is a vital component and includes as examples:

working with staff from the Shelter as an exercise about a drunken person; working with DVS in respect of road checks and Construction and Use offences.

2. N  o. This is because  these centres are now closed  and  the  National  Policing Improvement Agency (formerly Centrex) is no longer responsible for providinganynational police foundation training. To ensure an independent verification of the progressof the recruits trained in house,theStatesofJersey Police haveanarrangement with the Police Serviceof Northern Ireland to assessand report oneach course at its conclusion.
3. N e w officers first gain some experience of another Police Forcewhen,attheendoftheirfoundation course they travel to Belfast, where they undertakeand are assessed on a series of practical tasks. These tasks are used to validate the trainingconducted locally, as mentionedabove.Whilst there, local officers also gain a valuable insight into the sensitivities ofpolicing diverse communities particularly in thecase of Belfast.

T h e States of Jersey Police regularly send officers away on training courses to the United Kingdom and elsewhere. For example, new CID officers undertake their initial CID training course in United Kingdom.

Senior Investigating Officers also attend courses in the United Kingdom. The States of Jersey Police is aware of

the advantages and benefits of receiving such training and linking into the relevant experience available in the United Kingdom. These are only two examples of the many courses States of Jersey Police officers attend in the United Kingdom.

S o m e States of Jersey Police officers have undertaken secondments to various UK forces to develop either

specialist skills or gain a wider experience of policing. For example, the States of Jersey Police have regularly provided assistance to Dorset Police by sending a specialist search team to assist with their policing operation for political party conferences.

T h e f orce is committed to developing staff to provide the best possible policing service to the Island, as

well as providing opportunities for senior officers to develop and compete for senior positions locally.

4. T h e foundation coursefocuseson Jersey Law which is, after all, the lawinforcein the Island where they will police. This is a considerable advantage over previous UK-based training which taught recruits English Law, requiring them tobe effectively re-trainedin Jersey Law upon their return. Nonetheless, Jersey Law often relies on the jurisprudenceof the UKcourts', and case studies take this into account.