The States police are blaming data protection rules and it is believed that concerns over the way honorary officers handle sensitive information are at the heart of the issue.There are times when the honoraries are being denied access to the States police radio system because they are not directly involved in incidents.It comes after news that the States police had changed their policy on requesting honorary assistance and some parishes fear it is a further erosion of their traditional powers.Talks involving Attorney General William Bailhache are being held to try to thrash out an agreement, and he has asked both forces to make no public comment at this stage.Mr Bailhache told the JEP: ‘The States and honorary police forces of course liaise over a large number of operational matters.
There is nothing unusual in that.
I am aware that data protection is one such subject.
The impact of the Data Protection Law is perhaps not as widely appreciated as it should be, particularly as information management systems develop and of course it raises issues which need to be carefully considered.
This will be even more obvious when the new data protection legislation comes into force, if enacted by the States.’States police chief Graham Power has confirmed that the computerisation of all police information had led to complications over the sharing of information.
But he is hopeful of reaching an accord with the honoraries.’Data protection allows us to share this information with the honorary police for policing purposes.
However, we have been advised by the Island’s data protection registrar that this arrangement needs to be incorporated into a formal joint agreement,’ he said.
‘Discussions are now taking place with our honorary police colleagues so that we can establish how this agreement can best be achieved.’
