Jersey civil servant promoted to Acting Justice and Home Affairs boss

Tuesday 12 October 2021

A Jersey-born civil servant has been promoted to Acting Director General for Justice and Home Affairs as a nine-month recruitment exercise for a permanent head gets underway.

Kate Briden, who is the current Group Director for Public Protection and Law Enforcement, takes over from Julian Blazeby, who resigned in July and officially steps down on Thursday.

Mrs Briden will be the senior civil servant overseeing the States of Jersey Police, Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, Customs and Immigration, and Prison services. 

Her department also oversees the Health and Safety Inspectorate, States Analyst and has local responsibility for the Jersey Field Squadron.

“Kate is a well-respected and inspirational leader with over 20 years of experience in senior management roles in the British public sector," Home Affairs Minister Deputy Gregory Guida said.

Pictured: Mrs Briden will be the senior civil servant in charge of the island's emergency services.

“Since January 2019, she has been back in her native Jersey, working for the Government by developing and nurturing Fire and Rescue, Ambulance, and Customs and Immigration Services and leading the capital programme for the department.

“She is well on her way to delivering significant operational transformation to achieve the wider strategic goals for the Government and her promotion will support her in this endeavour.”

Mrs Briden said: “I am delighted to be taking up this acting up position, succeeding Julian Blazeby and following on from his hard work and commitment to Justice and Home Affairs and the Government of Jersey for the past four years.

“I am honoured that it is in my home island that I am joining the Executive Leadership Team for the Government and look forward to working with other committed public servants who continue to lead the public service through the pandemic response, modernisation, and development of integrated and customer focused service delivery.”

Mrs Briden went to Bel Royal, Les Quennevais and and Hautlieu schools, where she was Head Girl before going on to study Law at the University of Hertfordshire and achieving her Bar Vocational Course at BPP Law. She is currently a board apprentice at Jersey Post and is married with two children.

Before returning to the island, she served as the Director of the Royal Courts of Justice Group in Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service and as Private Secretary to the Lord Chief Justice.