Voice for young people on new police oversight body

Thursday 13 February 2014

Engaging with the third of Islanders who are aged under 30 will be an important part of the work of the new Jersey Police Authority, says the chairman.

Aston Roberts will represent young Islanders and is one of four lay board members on the new Jersey Police Authority (JPA), an independent body which will oversee the States of Jersey Police and make sure they are doing a good job. He’ll work alongside Andrew Cornish, Dr Jason Lane and Advocate Rui Tremoceiro, and politicians Senator Sarah Ferguson and Deputy Judy Martin. They were elected by States members in a secret ballot.

Mr Roberts said: “Almost a third of Jersey’s population is under 30 years old and proper engagement with young people will be an important part of the JPA’s role. I am also among the young professionals looking to build a family life here in Jersey. I believe that my life skills and experiences will help me in this challenging new role and I’m looking forward to giving something meaningful back to the community I was born and raised in.”

The JPA will be led by an independent chairman, Advocate Jonathan White. He said: “I am delighted to have brought together a panel which is representative of the many different parts of our community. Each member brings a different set of skills which will enable us to work constructively with the States of Jersey Police and the Home Affairs Minister and those around him. We all look forward to doing what we can to support the Chief Officer in improving Island policing as has been so demonstrably the case over the last three years. We regard this as very much of a partnership which will be both supportive and constructively critical, as the occasion demands.”

Mr Roberts is a senior architect with Godel Architects, Mr Cornish is a registered Optometrist and a director of an optician practise based in St Helier who is a member of the Jersey Police Complaints Authority and the Youth Court Panel, Dr Lane is an academic with a PhD in Cross-Border Policing in Ireland who is the chief executive of the Jersey Gambling Commission, and Advocate Tremoceiro is an experienced lawyer who was born and educated in Portugal.

As well as making sure the Police are delivering their key aims and objectives, the Authority will provide a link between the force and the Home Affairs Minister.

Senator Le Marquand said that it was important that the JPA was representative of Jersey’s community. He said: “I am delighted that such a broadly representative group of people have now been appointed to the authority and able to start working together to ensure the continuation of effective policing in Jersey. I wish the authority every success in their work.”