In brief: The Jersey Police Authority has warned that police must not become the default response to mental-health crises, citing significant pressure on resources. In a submission to a States scrutiny panel reviewing the proposed 2027–2030 Budget, the authority expressed “cautious confidence” in current funding but stopped short of guaranteeing it would prove sufficient through to 2030.
A Warning From the Watchdog
The independent body that oversees Jersey’s police force has put politicians on notice: sending officers to every mental-health incident is not a sustainable strategy, and it is not necessarily the right one either. In a submission to the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel, the Jersey Police Authority said such incidents could place “significant demands” on police resources, and stressed that other agencies are often better placed to address the underlying needs of vulnerable islanders.
The submission, signed by authority chair Simon Harman, states clearly: “The Authority does not, however, consider that policing should become the default response where another service is better placed to address an individual’s underlying needs.” The authority identified mental-health services, safeguarding, and early support for children, young people and vulnerable individuals as areas where well-targeted investment could reduce harm before situations escalate to the point where police involvement becomes unavoidable.
Crucially, the authority also cautioned that “investment alone is unlikely to be sufficient.” Coordination between the police and other agencies, it argued, is just as important as funding in ensuring people receive appropriate support at the earliest opportunity.
Progress on the Ground, But Questions Remain
There is genuine good news to report. The police annual report published last year credited the Article 36 suite at Clinique Pinel, which opened in September 2024 following a £10.7 million redevelopment of the mental-health ward, with halving the average time officers spent taking islanders in mental-health crisis to a place of safety, from seven hours to three and a half. Article 36 of the relevant legislation allows police to remove someone from a public place if they believe that person is suffering from a mental disorder and needs immediate care or control, with a hold of up to 72 hours permitted while needs are assessed.
The same annual report credited increased use of the Mental Health Triage Team with reducing the number of mental-health incidents officers attended, from 982 to 797 in 2024, alongside a 9% reduction in Article 36 detentions over the same period. These are meaningful improvements, and they suggest the partnership model is working.
However, a health committee report highlighted in September 2025 raised “concerns around its use for intoxicated individuals,” suggesting the Article 36 suite is not always being used for the purpose it was designed to serve. That is a detail worth watching.
Health managing director Andy Weir told the Jersey Evening Post that the department has “well-established partnership arrangements with the police,” pointing to monthly joint meetings, joint training, and detailed monitoring of police involvement in mental-health incidents. “This partnership work is ongoing,” he said.
Budget Confidence, With Caveats
On the broader question of police funding, the authority described its position as one of “cautious confidence,” saying the proposed Budget for 2027–2030 provided a reasonable basis for the force to meet its statutory responsibilities. It is not currently identifying a specific additional funding requirement.
But the authority was careful not to write a blank cheque of reassurance. It stopped short of giving an unqualified guarantee that funding would meet policing demands throughout the period to 2030, warning that the volume and complexity of police work could change materially. Staffing resilience, specialist expertise and keeping pace with technological change were all flagged as areas requiring continuing attention.
Should evidence emerge that resources could not meet operational needs without adversely affecting policing capability or public protection, the authority said those pressures should be identified and properly considered. It also reminded politicians that value for money in policing should be measured by quality and outcomes for islanders, not expenditure figures alone. “Policing must retain sufficient resilience and flexibility to respond to changes in demand, complexity and risk,” the submission concluded.
Source: Jersey Evening Post
