Rob Curgenven was well-known as a critic of the police before he was elected this June. He has since expressed support for new Police Chief Damian Kitchen, but he remains unconvinced about the status of the complaints commission. As a result, he wants to force a debate on its report.
‘Rebuilding public confidence in policing requires a robust and truly independent complaints system,’ hes aid yesterday, after it was confirmed that he would lead a bid to have the report debated.
‘I have confidence that the chief’s commitment, combined with proper independent oversight, can deliver better outcomes for complainants, for officers and for the wider community.’
But Deputy Curgenven was concerned that the commission itself has called for the laws relating to it to be reviewed, and that the previous States said the process was not fit for purpose.
He said that the commission could monitor investigations and make recommendations, but could not investigate complaints, determine outcomes, overturn decisions, or comment on any concerns.
‘In the last year, appeals fell to zero. Either complaints are handled flawlessly, or people have stopped believing in the system,’ he said.
Deputy Curgenven said he also had some concerns about the costs of the commission and the resources available to it.
‘It is vital that we implement proportionate and cost-effective changes, so the public can have confidence the complaints system is both fair and effective,’ he said.
‘We should not create Potemkin structures to tick boxes – public confidence in the States requires that we give entities tasked with oversight the independence and powers to make a difference.’
The commission’s report flagged up that 39 complaints were made against officers last year, the majority of them linked to officers’ conduct when making arrests.
It has publicly supported changes to the complaints procedure introduced last year.
Commission chairman Rob Jordan said the body was steadfast in committing to ‘fairness, transparency, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous learning within policing in our local jurisdiction’.
