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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMITÉ DES CONNÉTABLES BY DEPUTY OF ST. MARTIN
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 10th MARCH 2009
Question
- Will the Chairman advise membersofthenumberof complaints made against Honorary Police Officers notified to the Comité des Connétable s for each year since the Police (Complaints and Discipline) (Jersey) Law 1999 came into force in 2001?
- Of that number how manycomplaintswere referred totheJerseyPoliceComplaintsAuthority?
- Of the numberofcomplaints not referred to the Jersey Police ComplaintsAuthority,how were – (a ) withdrawn (b ) resolvedbyinformalresolution?
- Ofthenumberofcomplaintsmadehow many were against Constable'sOfficers and Vingteniers and how many weresubstantiated?
- Of the number of complaints made, how many were against Centeniers and how many were substantiated?
Answer
A "complaint" is defined in the Police (Complaints and Discipline) (Jersey) Law 1999 as any complaint about the conduct of a member of the Honorary Police which is submitted to the Connétable of the parish in which that member serves –
- by a memberof the public;
- on behalf of, and with the written consent of, a memberof the public; or
- by a member of the Force,port control officer ormemberof the HonoraryPoliceotherwise than in t course of his orherduty;
Complaints are notified to the Connétable of the Parish in which the officer serves and not to the Comité des Connétable s.
All complaints are recorded, as required by the law, in a register maintained by the Connétable . The registers also contain details of some complaints which were deemed to fall outside the Law and these have not therefore been included in the answer to this question. Two complaints listed in one register related to officers of other Parishes and have also been omitted from the total for that Parish.
A complaint has to be referred to the Jersey Police Complaints Authority if it is incapable of, or not suitable for, informal resolution and the Chief Officer appoints a member of the States Police Force or a police officer from some other force, of at least the rank of inspector, to carry out an investigation. All complaints referred to the Authority are listed in answer to question 2 even if the complaint was subsequently withdrawn.
A complaint is not referred to the Jersey Police Complaints Authority if it is suitable for informal resolution. Of those not referred, some were resolved informally and others were withdrawn.
The number shown as substantiated includes complaints where "words of advice" were given to an officer. Those complaints which concluded with a decision that no further action was required are considered to be unsubstantiated.
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
1.No. of complaints |
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made against Honorary Police officers | 7 | 12* | 5 | 10* | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 1** |
2. No. of complaints referred to JPCA | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
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3(a) No. of complaints not referred to JPCA and withdrawn | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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3(b) No. of complaints not referred to JPCA and resolved informally | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
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4. No. of complaints against Constables Officers/Vingteniers | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
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No. substantiated | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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5 No. of complaints against Centeniers | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
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No. substantiated | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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* one complaint in this year referred to an officer who was not identified; these have been recorded as "withdrawn" and it is not possible to say whether it related to a Vingtenier/CO or to a Centenier.
** 2009 complaint is currently awaiting response from H M Attorney General as to the action to be taken.