Earlier this year it was reported that honorary forces around the Island, which are made up entirely of volunteers, were suffering a recruitment crisis. Although some parishes have now managed to recruit the odd new officer, some forces have seen their figures drop this year.
In October a large campaign, which is being developed with the help of a media company, is set to be launched following months of work.
The chairman of the Comité des Chefs de Police, Centenier Danny Scaife, who has previously said he is worried for the force’s future, is optimistic the campaign will bring in more officers and help to change the face of the historic honorary system.
He said: ‘It is designed to address the number of officers and recruit more, because there is a problem in various parishes.
‘But it is also designed to change the image of the honorary police and to show it isn’t just a farmer in a field – that time has long gone.
‘It is a big campaign that has been worked on for a while and we are hopeful it will make a difference.
‘The honorary system is still as important as ever and we want to change that stereotypical image.’
In St Martin they have managed to recruit one extra officer but they are still in need of further numbers, and Centenier Gordon Jones is confident the campaign will help with that.
He added: ‘Gone are the days of officers standing on corners wearing white gloves. That isn’t what the honorary police is.
‘It is a lot more professional now and I think that is the message that we need to get across to people, and I hope the campaign will increase the numbers.’
St Lawrence, which has a quota of 22 officers, has currently just eight, but that is set to rise with the imminent arrival of three more people.
And St Peter has increased its number to 18, with three more soon to join.
Grouville is another parish still struggling, with their numbers now dropping to 11.
St Ouen’s Chef de Police, Centenier Richard Honeycombe, said he was happy with the amount of officers in St Ouen and believed some of the quotas in parishes was too high.
Grouville Chef de Police Nick Andrew added: ‘We are struggling. We can’t do as much as we would like.
‘We are okay with court and parish hall things, but we are not able to get out for as many checks as we would like, so the campaign is welcomed.’
HONORARY POLICE NUMBERS
nSt Helier: Quota, 53; Current officers, 35
nSt Brelade: 32; 16/17
nSt Martin: 21; 13
nSt Saviour: 32; 22
nSt Lawrence: 22; 8
nGrouville: 19; 11
nSt Clement: 22; 18
nSt John: 19; 15
nSt Mary: 19; 16
nSt Peter: 26; 18
nSt Ouen: 13 officers
nTrinity: Two to three officers short
