Concerns over fairness of new Guernsey Police complaints process
ITV Channel's Matthew Leach explores concerns about Guernsey's new police complaints process
Broadcast on Tuesday 26 November
A former Guernsey Chief Minister is raising concerns about a new police complaints process in the island, and is calling for it to be annulled.
Deputy Gavin St Pier says a new complaints system is unfair and leaves complainants without the opportunity to appeal a decision that is made.
The process allows police to analyse evidence, including bodycam footage, and consider if there is merit to a complaint.
Under the previous process, Guernsey Police would investigate a complaint if gross misconduct or misconduct was likely to be the proven outcome.
Deputy Gavin St Pier is calling for the new process to be annulled so that the island's politicians can consider whether they think it is right for islanders.
Deputy St Pier told ITV News: "If a complaint is made and filtered out and no further work is to be undertaken, the complainant can do nothing further about it and I think that is a matter for concern that warrants further conversation."
Meanwhile, Deputy Rob Prow, President of Home Affairs, disagrees that the new complaints process is "clumsy" and says an imminent review of police processes will bring best practices to the island.
Deputy Prow also responded to Deputy St Pier's concerns about a lack of opportunity to appeal dismissed complaints.
He says that any complaint has to go through the Police Complaints Commission before being dismissed, which he asserts is an independent way of reviewing complaints made.
However, concerns that the Commission's links to Home Affairs put its independence at risk.
Home Affairs funds the Police Complaints Commission and approves anyone sitting on it.
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