Deputy Mike Higgins tabled a question for Home Affairs Minister Len Norman about safeguards that are in place regarding strip searches carried out by the States police.
Deputy Higgins said his question was in relation to a specific case in which a female was allegedly strip-searched and put in a cell.
The Deputy claimed two male police officers were outside the cell, and alleges that one said: ‘Leave her alone and don’t take her underwear off her.’
In response, Mr Norman said he was not aware of any specific cases and there were regulations and safeguards in place when it came to strip searches.
He then accused Deputy Higgins of continually raising matters in the States that undermined the work of the police.
He said: ‘Rather than raising it here, why not come and speak to me and the police chief and deal with issues that way?
‘I do not know if it happened and he does not know – he was not there.
‘You continue to undermine the States of Jersey Police, who are doing a wonderful job. They don’t need to be undermined continuously by Deputy Higgins.’
Deputy Higgins then commented by saying ‘more openness and transparency’, prompting Mr Norman to reply: ‘Come and talk to me. Don’t speculate and listen to rumours.’
It is not the first time the two long-serving politicians have clashed during States questions.
The two exchanged words across the Chamber floor in June, when Deputy Higgins called for an independent investigation into why a prominent Islander was not charged with sexual misconduct. The JEP later revealed that the police had investigated and a file had been passed to the Law Officers’ Department, after which a decision had been made not to proceed with a prosecution.
On that occasion in the States, Mr Norman accused Deputy Higgins of basing ‘sordid allegations’ on comments from social media and making allegations that were offensive to the police.
