‘New pay deal will help retain staff’

The police have struggled to maintain officer numbers for years.

‘However, as our staff numbers have begun to improve and our retention has been supported by a fair and reasonable pay settlement with the employer, we hope that going into 2023 numbers can continue to recover and staff retention remain at a good level,’ he said.

However, money is a concern for the force.

It managed to stay within budget this year, but Mr Hardy warned that finances were tightening.

‘There needs to be an acceptance that this can only be dealt with in a significant way through a reduction in demand or through delivering fewer prioritised services, and delivering in a more efficient way,’ said Mr Hardy.

‘Work needs to continue with health professionals to look at the holistic provision of services in the area of mental health, as there is still a concern as to the amount of time that officers are spending looking after such individuals who are not linked into the criminal justice system.’

He added that most public services were struggling in the current economy and very competitive job market.

‘It’s been a significant financial challenge but we are acutely aware of just how important the provision of our service is, and we continue to work with government to address the issues we face,’ he said.

‘In terms of what may or may not happen in the future, I don’t know. We will need to wait and see what our next budget will be before being able to give definitive answers.’

Seconded staff from the UK’s Civil Nuclear Constabulary were brought over the island to help provide cover last year.

Criminal Intelligence has struggled with staffing, with staff having to cover for protracted vacancies. But Mr Hardy said the effectiveness of the unit had not been compromised.

He added that a recently-launched recruitment campaign was helping to alleviate some of the difficulties, with five officers recently having transferred over from the UK, and an additional four officers beginning work on 7 August.

He hoped that there would be a greater focus on officers’ mental health in next year’s report and in the long-term future.

‘We need to have a rethink and discuss with Health & Social Care and maybe even some third parties about how best to approach it as some areas, such as frontline policing, are heavily affected.’