Home Affairs ‘must be more open to scrutiny of the police’
Home Affairs and the police have been accused of ‘shooting themselves in the foot’ by over-reacting to recent criticism of the force.
Police chief Ruari Hardy has claimed that his officers are under an organised attack from malicious complainants, and Rob Prow’s Home Affairs Committee has warned off politicians alleged to be supporting them.
But Gavin St Pier, who believes he was at the centre of Home Affairs’ criticism, has hit back in an article published in today’s Guernsey Press.
‘All public bodies should be capable of receiving appropriate scrutiny from multiple sources,’ said Deputy St Pier.
‘In the case of the police, this is not just the Police Complaints Commission and the Home Affairs Committee, but also other States members, the media, and the public.
‘In trying to shoot the political and media messengers, the police and Home Affairs have shot themselves in the foot.’
A high-profile claim against police officers for damages totalling about £12,000 was recently settled out of court, but only after the States and its insurers had paid officers’ legal bills estimated at between £250,000 and £400,000 over a two-year period.
Questions asked by Deputy St Pier uncovered more information about the case, which has been followed by several new claims alleging mistreatment by police officers, some of which are related to videos of incidents posted online.
Deputy St Pier, a former member of the Police Complaints Commission, said he enjoyed a good working and personal relationship with the police and acknowledged that policing was a difficult job. But he urged Home Affairs to see that major reforms were needed to maintain confidence in the force.
‘The Home Affairs Committee needs to be less squeamish in scrutinising operational matters,’ he said.
‘It is an insufficient basis on which to build public support, as we often do, to rely on the fact that things could be worse or indeed are worse elsewhere. Rather than doubling down on messaging that the police are subject to a malicious campaign by a vexatious minority, however unfair they think it is, they need to double up on their public engagement to ensure the majority really do believe they are accountable.’
He called for reform of the police complaints process and the liability of police officers, a stronger complaints commission, and more openness to scrutiny from the media, Home Affairs members and other deputies.
