Jayne Ozanne cited a recent survey which indicated that 48% of the island’s least well-off were dissatisfied with the police, compared to just 16% of the most affluent.
She asked Home Affairs to put that problem at the centre of a review it has started into how complaints about the police are handled.
‘We have a perceived access to justice issue,’ said Deputy Ozanne.
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‘The police complaints system looks at the process of a complaint but not the actual ruling itself. I think it is that which has caused so much inequality and concern and a perception in the island that the rich can get justice while the poor get the law.’
During debate on the Police Complaints Commission’s annual report, Home Affairs president Marc Leadbeater told the Assembly that his committee had recently agreed revised terms of reference for ‘a comprehensive and fundamental’ review.
‘We have got people right at the top of their game who are helping little old Guernsey in our efforts to improve,’ he said.
‘Nothing is off the table in this review. The role of the Police Complaints Commission is one of the aspects of the review and how its role and responsibilities should evolve.’
At present, police complaints are limited to alleged misconduct.
Deputy Leadbeater said his committee had already agreed that in future complaints should also be permitted into services carried out by the police, and how the force is directed.
There has been growing political pressure for a review of the police complaints regime since officers were hit by a series of court claims for compensation last year. Just before retiring, police chief Ruari Hardy claimed the force was under an ‘organised attack’ from malicious complainants.
The commission’s report stated that it had overseen 39 complaints against police officers last year, the majority of them linked to conduct when making arrests.
Deputy Gavin St Pier said there was now such a high level of public interest in policing and complaints against officers that Home Affairs needed to complete its review ‘as expeditiously as possible’.
He was pleased to see that the new committee was making ‘progress at some pace’.
Haley Camp hoped Home Affairs would learn from recent criticism and develop a more independent complaints regime.
‘Home Affairs should be challenged to bring the police complaints process up to a level where public trust and confidence is engendered by design, and not left to chance,’ said Deputy Camp.
Home Affairs member Simon Vermeulen, who was its vice-president in the previous term, agreed with the need for a review of the complaints system, but also defended the existing regime.
‘Members must be assured that police complaints are taken very seriously. They are considered and investigated where necessary.
‘In Guernsey, people can complain about anything. People have lost their jobs over certain complaints in the past,’ said Deputy Vermeulen.
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