Zero tolerance for lifestyle criminals warns Jersey police chief

Thursday 18 August 2016

Crime figures are going down and Chief of Police Mike Bowron says there are a number of reasons - but principle among them is the fact that ‘career,’ or ‘lifestyle’ criminals have been targeted for special attention.

Mr Bowron gave the Express an interview on the back of heartening crime figures, which show that numbers of recorded incidents are continuing to decline.

Up to yesterday, there were 1,765 crimes records this year in the Island, compared to 1,911 for the same period last year and 2,088 in 2014. 

That’s a dramatic fall of 232 crimes recorded in the space of two years, around a 10% decline.

At the heart of the reduction is Mr Bowron’s policy towards criminals who he says have made a lifestyle choice.   

“I don’t believe in zero tolerance for the general population because you have to have a certain level of tolerance. For instance, youth crime needs a caution here, words of advice there. There has to be a certain element of consistent tolerance. 

“With lifestyle criminals, those who say I am going to live my lifestyle by nicking things. OK, game on. That is what I have zero tolerance against, the lifestyle criminal.”

Mr Bowron, who has been chief in Jersey for six years and a serving officer for 37, said his policies are based on getting results, as well as receiving feedback from the public that they are getting the force they want.  

He said: “Policing is simple and complex at the same time. We know we spend 97% of our time with 3% of the population, across all policing. 

“A high proportion of our time is spent with a very small percentage of the population. Most people have very little to do with the police from one year to the next. Some people need to speak to the police every day. These are people who can’t lead a traditional lifestyle. They are lifestyle criminals. My line is this: if somebody decides they are going to be a lifestyle criminal then they are going to get what we call, ‘In your face’ policing. We will respond accordingly. 

“We have intelligence which tells us we have prolific persistent offenders. By and large we know who they are. If you are one of those, you are going to get special attention from the police in Jersey. We focus our best efforts on a very small but significant minority of people who have decided that crime is their lifestyle.

“You have to nanny state these people. I don’t believe in nanny stating the population. Most of the population can deal with life themselves, but a small minority need the nanny state. If we can help to change their behaviour, then great and if we can’t then they go to prison. And you know what, prison works for me…..in certain cases.”

Despite the marked fall in recorded crime, Mr Bowron says that is only part of his job. 

“I don’t want to be measured by crime figures alone. I know from the feedback I get that our stock is probably quite high with most people and politicians. Our force morale is good and our sickness figures are lower than any other in the country.  

“But policing is not just about catching villains, it is about creating a warm, glowing feeling amongst the population, who can say I feel confident about security and safety in Jersey. Life is complex and demanding but if I can remove the fear and anxiety of crime, then that has nothing to do directly with crime figures, but I am doing my job. How do you measure that? It is the warm, glowing factor.”

Along with zero tolerance towards career criminals, Mr Bowron, who was City of London Police Commissioner for five years before coming to Jersey, says policing is simple, but also complex, with many different agencies all working towards the same goal.    

He said: “We have got to get the right balance and give the public a good feeling when they see officers patrolling the streets. The town centre patrol team tries to provide maximum visibility, a bit like the old ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ series. Then there are some specialist units which the public rarely sees. We have a public protection unit, which in the main deals with women and children, often dealing with domestic violence. 

“We have an intelligence team which can deal with things like organised crime. We have a large financial crime team as we work with the States to ensure Jersey is seen to be a clean environment in which to confidently invest. 

“We have priority crime team whose job is to knock on doors at unusual hours and do what they have to do to keep lifestyle criminals aware that we are here. 

“That’s how you make an impact on your crime figures. I must give a special mention to those who run the ‘Prison Me No Way’ scheme, who provide invaluable education towards youngsters. Their work is brilliant. Youth crime is extraordinarily low. The youth of Jersey are, by and large, really good kids, who behave themselves. 

“My principle is this: every kid has to learn to grow up and if we can avoid getting them into the criminal justice system, I will. The last thing we want to do is arrest a kid and make him turn to crime. I ask people how many kids do you think we have got in custody right now? And I get the answer, well, around 100. No. No. It is one, or none. That shows kids on this Island are good kids. It is shows the policies are having a good effect, because kids are listening.”