Statement by Comite des Connetables re Use of warrant cards by Connetables with questions

STATEMENTS ON A MATTER OF OFFICIAL RESPONSIBILITY

6.  Statement by the Chairman of the Comité des Connétable s regarding the use of warrant cards by the Connétable s

The Deputy Bailiff :

We come on to K. There is a statement to be made by the Minister for Treasury and Resources regarding the regulation of gambling in the Island. The Assistant Minister does not seem to be here. Very well, maybe that has been withdrawn. There is the Chairman of the Comité des Connétable s who will make a statement regarding the use of warrant cards by the Connétable s.

6.1   Connétable K.P. Vibert of St. Ouen (Chairman, Comité des Connétable s):

On 3rd November 2009, Deputy Martin of St. Helier asked the following question: "Given that on 6th October 2009 the Chairman advised the Assembly that several of the Connétable s, to his knowledge, still held warrant cards, could he state who they are, why they hold them and which of these Connétable s, if any, served time in the Honorary Police in another capacity?" I now wish to advise Members that at present the Connétable s of St. Brelade , St. Clement , Grouville , St. John , St. Mary and St. Peter hold a warrant card. The cards were issued to these Connétable s as a proof of identity, should it be required. Of these Connétable s, only St. John and St. Peter have served in the Honorary Police in another capacity.

1. The Deputy of St. John :

Yes. Given that these cards, we are told, were for proof of identity, can I ask the Chairman whether or not those States Members/police officers have used them to apprehend anybody or to speak to anybody in the course of so-called police work by that particular Connétable ?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

I cannot answer that without asking everybody the question, but I can tell the Assembly that, following the  Clothier Report in 1999 on the reform of policing services in Jersey, the Connétable s decided that operational police work would be the responsibility of the Chefs de Police and, to that end, brought a proposition to the States which was adopted by the States whereby a Comité des Chefs de Police was established and their role is to undertake the active policing of the Island.

The Deputy of St. John :

Possibly the Connétable s who may have acted as police officers might wish to stand up and be counted.

2. The Deputy of Grouville :

The Chairman stated: "Proof of identity, should it be required." Could he expand on that; proof of identity for whom and in what capacity is it shown, police or Constable?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

I think I can probably best answer the Deputy by saying that I was challenged to produce proof of identity a matter of 3 weeks ago when I was asked by a fellow parishioner to assist in detaining someone who had attempted to break into their property. Although I did not get involved in it, I stood by and watched this gentleman hold the culprit until the States of Jersey Police arrived and that person did ask me, when it was pointed out to him that I was the Connétable of St. Ouen , where my warrant card was and I did not have one. So I think that the Deputy is seeking to determine whether Connétable s use the warrant card for policing purposes. I do not believe they do but I think that there is every good reason why the Connétable s should carry a warrant card for means of identification.

3. Deputy M. Tadier :

I am not necessarily 100 per cent knowledgeable of warrant cards and how they work but I was under the impression that someone with a warrant card has the right to search somebody's house. First of all, can the Constable confirm that if that is not the case?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

No, I am afraid that the Deputy 's information is somewhat out of date. The ability to search someone's house was deleted from the law some 4 or 5 years ago, at least.

4. Deputy J.A. Martin:

Yes, on reading the reply, I am more totally miffed than hearing the reply on 6th October; some Constables still hold warrant cards. St. Clement Constable, St. John , St. Mary and St. Peter are all new Constables and the reason given by the Constable is proof of identity. Why is it not uniform? Why has he himself, who says he does not hold a warrant card, and 6 other Constables do not hold a warrant card, why would these Constables need it for proof of identity when other Constables do not need or do not require it? Should it not be uniform; either they all have these or none have these? Could the Constable please look into this?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

I am more than happy to look into it. It may well be that all States Members should have an identity card.

5. Connétable J.M. Refault of St. Peter :

If I may stand up and be counted, I have used my warrant card on one occasion in my relatively short time of roughly about 4 months into my position as Connétable of St. Peter , merely to identify myself to a member of the States Police. I have not used it for any policing work, just purely as a means of identification. May I also suggest that perhaps the newer Constables have that because at the time they are not well known among the generality.

The Deputy Bailiff :

Is this a question?

The Connétable of St. Peter :

No, just standing up and being counted as required by the Deputy of St. John .

The Deputy Bailiff :

Unfortunately, the Deputy of St. John was not entitled to require you to stand to be counted.

6. The Deputy of St. Martin :

I would like to concur with the Connétable of St. Ouen . I do think all States Members should have some form of identity. That is something that was raised by the B.B.C. some time ago and maybe we could unearth [Interruption] Could I ask the Connétable , do C.O.s (Officiers de Connétable ), Vingteniers and Centeniers all have some proof of identity?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

Yes, I can confirm that all serving members of the Honorary Police have warrant cards which they have to submit to the Connétable s when their term of office finishes. A new warrant card would be issued to an officer once re-elected.

7. The Deputy of St. Martin :

Would the Connétable confirm that it would not be difficult, really, if one was issued to Connétable s, if necessary?

The Connétable of St. Ouen : No.

8. Deputy M. Tadier :

Does the Constable acknowledge that the underlying issue here is not about warrant cards per se but it is really about whether we should have policemen - albeit de facto policemen, who do not practise - in the States Assembly, and will this be brought up at subsequent Comité des Connétable s meetings?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

That is, of course, the Deputy 's own opinion; it is not necessarily an opinion which is shared Island-wide .

9. Deputy M. Tadier :

A supplementary: does the Constable at least acknowledge that there are policemen in the States Chamber?

The Deputy Bailiff :

I think it is a question, Connétable . You were asked whether there are policemen in the States Chamber.

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

It depends on how you define a policeman.

10. Deputy J.A. Martin:

Yes. Just getting back to the difference, could the Connétable please explain exactly how one - I know how one becomes a Constable - applies for a warrant card or does one have to opt in or opt out to get a warrant card? I cannot understand why there is 6 with and 6 without. What is the actual process, please?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

The process is exactly the same with every member of the Honorary Police that, on completion of being elected and sworn-in by the Royal Court, they can then apply to the office at St. Brelade which produces all the warrant cards. They will then go down and have their photograph taken and a warrant card would be produced.

11. The Deputy of Grouville :

There is a certain amount of training that goes on for the Honorary Police now. Can the Chairman confirm if those applying for warrant cards undergo training?

The Connétable of St. Ouen :

I thought I had explained that the active policing of the Island is undertaken by the Members of the Honorary Police under the control of the Comité des Chefs. These are the people who do the actual policing. The Connétable s, although required in their oath to keep the Queen's peace in their Parish, no longer undertake active policing and therefore the question of what training they need to hold the warrant card does not exist.