Legal self-defence methods in Jersey (FOI)

Request

Following reports made in the media recently by the Head of CID in Jersey claiming assaults on women and girls on the rise, please clarify the following:

A

What self-defence remedies are legal in Jersey? In the UK you are allowed to possess criminal identity spray; is this the same in Jersey?

B

What is the States of Jersey Police doing to improve officers’ ability of de-escalation?

Response

A 

Other than personal attack alarms, the States of Jersey Police do not recommend any particular self-defence equipment / remedy. 

States of Jersey Police advise that there are articles for sale that claim to be legal, however in some cases they are illegal to possess in Jersey. If the Police find a person in possession of an article made, intended or adapted to cause injury, the person may be detained or arrested until the article can be verified and the circumstances investigated. 

People should avoid possessing any article in a public place that is made, adapted or intended for use for causing injury to a person, as without lawful authority or reasonable excuse they may be guilty of an offence which carries a sentence of up to four years imprisonment and fine.

A properly designed criminal identifier spray that squirts safe dye (not noxious) used in the intended way (to assist in identifying an attacker) should not be able to cause injury. However, if injury or damage does occur and depending on the circumstances, use of this spray may be deemed to be assault or malicious damage. 

The States of Jersey Police website provides personal safety advice with the aim of helping people keep safe. Where anyone fears they are about to be physically attacked, they should try to get to a safe place and call 999, asking for Police.

States of Jersey Police - Stalking and Harassment (jersey.police.uk)

B

Officers receive a range of training from starting their initial two years probationary period and across their career. Each officer is required to undertake annual Officer Safety training, this follows the direction from the College of Policing. As part of this officers are trained in the National Decision Model that looks at both spontaneous and planned operations and incidents, identifying options and contingencies. 

Structures such as LEAPS are additionally used (Listen, Empathise, Ask, Paraphrase and Summarise), and staff also look at Betari Box (a model that shows how your attitudes affect the way others respond to you), and the 5 Steps Appeal (a College of Policing conflict management staged response model).