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Honorary Police

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Unpaid police force in Jersey

Officers of Saint Helier Honorary Police (Police Honorifique de Saint-Hélier)

There is an Honorary Police (French: Police Honorifique) force in each of the twelve parishes of Jersey. Members of the Honorary Police are elected by the voters of the parish in which they serve, and are unpaid.

Honorary Police officers have, for centuries, been elected by parishioners to assist the connétable of the parish to maintain law and order. Officers are elected as centeniers, vingteniers or constable's officers, each with various duties and responsibilities.

Until the 19th century, the Honorary Police provided the only civilian law enforcement in Jersey. However, in the early part of the 19th century, crime was widespread among the urban population in Saint Helier (around 25,000 people) and paid police officers for the Parish of Saint Helier were appointed in 1853, and their remit was later extended to serve the whole island as the States of Jersey Police (SOJP). However, even today the SOJP cannot charge anyone with an offence – charges have to be brought by the centenier of the parish in which the alleged offence was committed – and as such the Honorary Police continue to have a significant role in policing.

History<br>[edit]

The Honorary Police have existed since around the 15th century, though possibly before.[1]

Until the 19th century the Honorary Police provided the only civilian law enforcement in Jersey. However, in the early part of the 19th century, crime was widespread among the urban population in Saint Helier (around 25,000 people) and paid police officers for the Parish of Saint Helier were appointed in 1853 and their remit was later extended to serve the whole island as the States of Jersey Police (SOJP).

In 2012, the connétables were removed from their function as the head of the parish police, with the post transferring to the chief centenier (the chef de police).[1]

Honorary Police offices<br>[edit]

Each parish elects a number of centeniers, vingteniers and constable's officers who act in the name of the connétable of the parish in maintaining law and order. These officers are elected for a period of three years and take an oath in the Royal Court.

All Honorary Police officers must live in the parish at the time of their first election or, in the case of St Helier, be a ratepayer or mandataire of that parish. If an officer moves out of the parish during their term of office, they may continue their term of office with the approval of His Majesty's Attorney General and the connétable of the parish and may stand for re-election provided there is no break in service.

A person may be nominated for election as a member of the Honorary Police if, on the day of nomination, they are at least 20 years of age and less than 70 years of age.

Honorary Police officers are on duty for one week at a time, usually every three or four weeks depending upon the roster within the parish, and are on call 24 hours a day during that period. Honorary Police officers are elected to serve the parish but in certain circumstances may assist or operate outside the parish.

Anyone standing for election as a member of the Honorary Police will have to undergo a criminal record check.

Ranks of the Honorary Police<br>[edit]

Bureau des Centeniers, Saint Brelade

Connétables<br>[edit]

Main article: Connétable (Jersey and Guernsey)

The connétables (the civil head of the parish) were formerly the head of the parish honorary police force, but this role has since been transferred to the chef de police. The connétables do still have a supervisory role over the police force and organise, with the chef de police, an annual policing plan for their parish. They also handle complaints against members of the parish police.[1]

Centenier and chef de police<br>[edit]

A centenier is a senior member of the Honorary Police of Jersey. Centeniers are elected for a mandate of three years at a public election within the parish. In addition to general policing matters, the centenier remains the only officer entitled to charge and bail offenders. The constable of the parish appoints one of the centeniers as chef de police of the parish. Under Jersey law, anyone charged at the States of Jersey Police (SOJP) headquarters must be charged by a centenier of the Honorary Police, and they too will present the charges against an individual if the case is taken to the magistrate.

The centenier presides at parish hall enquiries and acts as prosecuting officer before the Magistrate's Court.

Centeniers are, if a person admits to an offence, able to give a written caution, a fine or charged to Court. This is a Parish Hall Sanction and not a criminal record, although the results are still reported...