Jersey Police to leave vacant posts unfilled as force faces £120,000 savings target

The States of Jersey Police is planning to leave some vacant staff positions unfilled as it looks to meet a £120,000 savings target set for 2027.

Chief Officer Robin Smith revealed the proposed approach while speaking to a scrutiny panel, explaining that the Justice and Home Affairs Department had instructed the force to identify savings as part of wider government efforts to reduce spending.

Smith admitted achieving the target would be challenging, particularly as police resources had struggled to keep pace with increasing demand in recent years.

He told the panel that although additional funding had been provided over the past seven years, much of that money had effectively been absorbed by previous savings requirements.

The chief officer said the force recognised its responsibility to contribute to government efficiency measures and would play its part in reducing expenditure.

However, he warned that policing in Jersey had effectively remained at the same level while demand for its services continued to grow.

Smith acknowledged that the latest savings requirement was relatively modest compared with the £240,000 increase in the force's budget.

He said there was no intention to return the additional funding this time, adding that vacant police staff positions had been identified as a way of achieving the required savings.

Justice Minister Senator Helen Miles, who appeared alongside Smith, said the police savings target was separate from the £405,000 reduction required from the department's other agencies.

She said the department would work collaboratively across its services over the coming year to identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Miles emphasised that each service had its own professional responsibilities and standards, but said the priority was to make better use of available resources.

She described the approach as one of continuous improvement, with greater opportunities to share resources across government departments.

The proposed reduction in staffing through unfilled vacancies comes as Jersey's police force faces the challenge of balancing financial pressures against rising demand for its services.