Honorary police recruits fall

A lack of volunteer police recruits in the Jersey parish of St Helier has lead to fewer crimes being detected.

The St Helier Honorary police was 21 officers short at the end of last year.

Town Constable Simon Crowcroft says the number of parish hall enquiries fell by over a quarter.

An increasing number of public order offences were dealt with at Police headquarters instead.

Changes in law

Constable Crowcroft says changes in the law means fewer offences are dealt at the Parish Hall level.

Almost unique to Jersey, the parish Hall Enquiry forms one of the main functions of the Honorary Police.

In St Helier they are held every weekday evening, with an average of 18 enquiries a night.

But last year that number fell by 26%.