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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS BY DEPUTY T.M. PITMAN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 19th JULY 2010
Question
Would the Minister confirm whether he has allowed the development and disseminating of information to the public of only critical evidence against the suspended Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police whilst simultaneously accepting and supporting an investigation process that refused to receive or include evidence and witnesses that could contradict such evidence and, if so, does the Minister feel this to be congruent to the fundamental principles of natural justice?
Would the Minister further inform members whether he considers it correct in terms of natural justice that, having announced the abandonment of disciplinary action against the Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police, he subsequently sought to use evidence from these inquiries to justify the suspension when the Chief Officer of the States of Jersey Police will himself have no right of reply?
Answer
I have put in the public domain redacted copies of four relevant reports. The three Wiltshire reports were very carefully investigated and the Chief Officer of Police was provided with the statements of key witnesses in order to enable him to provide his own lengthy and detailed statements. These statements were then taken into account by the Wiltshire Police in reaching their conclusion.
I am satisfied that the investigation was fairly carried out.
I discontinued the disciplinary process two weeks before the Chief Officer of Police's retirement solely out of lack of time and so that I could make statements to Members prior to the summer recess. I then owed a clear public duty to inform the public of Jersey as to what I know about the matter and this I have done at the earliest possible date.
The Chief Officer of Police has already exercised his right of reply and will no doubt continue to do so either directly or through his political supporters. I believe that the public of Jersey will now be able to make up their own minds on what happened in 2008.
I also believe that there are lessons to be learned from the past and changes which will need to be made for the future and I now want to focus on these.