Islanders listening in to the States this week found themselves threatened with the possible withdrawal of no end of policing and general emergency services.
We heard that unless Home Affairs received more cash, we’d see less of police on the roads, fewer officers in our neighbourhoods, and criminal investigations could take longer or not take place at all.
The loudest public response to some of this was, sadly, that they already recognise much of this.
Communities such as ours can thrive or collapse over their relationship with authority generally, and the police specifically. A strong relationship, built on mutual respect and the comfort that officers will be there when needed, builds confidence across us all. The prospect of our roads left virtually unpoliced is a concern.
However, the deputies who highlighted questionable capital expenditure purchases made by our emergency services – notably that armoured Land Rover – are also right to reinforce that our blue light chiefs should not automatically expect to get the backing they want to match UK levels of cover.
Whether money can be found, or whether staff can be retained, maybe this debate may prove to be a trigger to refresh the debate on the priorities that the public want to see from the police, especially when there are very difficult funding decisions to be made.
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