Good afternoon, my name is Malcolm L’Amy, and I used to hold the title of Centenier and Chef de Police for the Parish of St. Peter. I am here to talk about the Honorary Police system of Jersey, and the fact that the system of policing in Jersey dates back over 500 years. It is believed that the Honorary Police System of Jersey is the oldest remaining policing system in the world; older than the Vatican Guard. In 2007, I was asked by the then Chief Officer to the States of Jersey Police, Mr Graham Power, to give a talk to Chief Constables from the UK about the system of honorary policing in Jersey. I was given three topics to talk on;- The structure and History of the Honorary Police. Its function and partnership with the professional police service of Jersey, the States of Jersey Police and finally The Future of Honorary Policing in Jersey amid an ever changing world. I have adapted that talk and PowerPoint presentation for you today. Many hours went into researching the subject and I can only give a very brief history about this unique system in the time available. I hope that there will be time at the end for questions. All three subjects are complex and time does not permit me to detail all aspects of this system; a system that Jersey should be proud of. At 1 | P a g e times, those in power fail to recognise the dedication that so many honorary officers give, not only to their Parish, but to this Island. The Island has 13 Police Forces. 12 Honorary Forces and one Paid Police Force, the States of Jersey Police. Each honorary Force has a Chef de Police and each force is connected to a Parish. It has been said that the Jersey Honorary Police System is the oldest police force in the world. I need to explain the structure of the system or ranks. There are 12 Connétables who are the head of the ancient Parishes. They are elected to the position and are also members of the States of Jersey. Apart from their political role, they also have the power of a police officer, but rarely do they use this power in current times. The next position in the Honorary Police Structure is the Centeniers and one of them will become Chef de Police. At one time, if the Connétable was unable to attend a sitting of the States, then the Chef de Police would attend and have voting rights in his place. The Centeniers have all the powers of a police officer, as described in the 1974 Police Force Jersey Law, and can arrest a person on suspicion of committing an offence. The Centeniers and Connétables are the only people able to charge an offender and will bring that offender before the Magistrates Court. The next officer in the structure is the Vingtenier and then the Constables Officer or CO for short. The numbers of officers vary between each Parish and if a Parish cannot find a person to be Centenier then the Parish may face a fine starting 2 | P a g e at £5000.00, depending on the rates income for the Parish. All positions are unpaid, unlike the Connétables, and great responsibility is vested in the Centeniers with regard to charging and bailing of offenders. But before I go into too much detail about the current structure I need to, for a moment, give a quick history lesson on Jersey. In 933, the Channel Islands were annexed to the then Duke of Normandy and it is therefore reasonable to assume that no distinction was made between continental Normandy and the Islands. In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, after defeating Harold, King of England, at the Battle of Hastings, became King of England and England and Normandy remained under one Sovereignty until 1077. The two domains, continental Normandy and the Channel Islands were divided until they again became reunited in 1105 and remained united until 1204, when on the defection of the Norman barons, continental Normandy was lost to the English Crown. It was at that point that the Islands then became loyal to the Crown of England. Law enforcement prior to 1204 was through a feudal system of courts with the power invested in the landowners or Seigneurs. In 1204 King John withdrew from Normandy and it was from that time onwards that the powers were then invested in the office of Connétable. Local records show that the Connétable was first mentioned in 1462 and the first record of a Centenier was 1502. 3 | P a g e The title Connétable or Constable and Centenier were well known in France and England, but the roles over the centuries have developed on very different lines. The origin of the office of Connétable in Jersey is clearly to be found in the English officers of High Constable and Petty or Parish Constable. The office of High Constable was created by statute in 1285 and that of Petty or Parish Constable was instated at a time during the reign of Edward III. And as I am sure you are all aware, that was between 1327 and 1377. Both the High Constables and Parish Constables were charged with the duty of maintaining the peace and bringing miscreants to justice. In the course of time, the function of the UK Parish Constable was limited to that of peace officer only, until the office was abolished in the 19th century. This was not the case in Jersey where the functions and status of the Connétables increased. There have been various suggestions about the office of Centenier having links to an Anglo Saxon term for ‘hundred men’, and therefore they were responsible for the behaviour of 100 families, but there is no evidence to support that view beyond the word ‘Centenier’ having connotations with the number 100. It is more likely that the office of Centenier was created to be a junior Connétable. It is more probable that the title Centenier took its distant origins from the French Monarchy, under which there were Centeniers and in Guernsey (dizainiers), and they had a right to hold court or public assembly where justice was administered and where matters which related to 4 | P a g e the district were discussed. According to further research, by the 16th century the Connétables were exercising police powers, which included the right to search for stolen property in suspected premises. The Royal Commissioners Ordinance of 1562 confirmed the duties of the Connétables and other parochial officers in connection with criminal law. During the 16th Century it was clear that the Connétable in each of the 12 parishes was assisted by a Centenier who took the same oath, but for the name of the office, and carried out the same functions in the absence of the Connétable. By the 17th century most parishes had two Centeniers. Apparently the increase started with a particular Centenier getting old or becoming ill and the people not wanting him to be discharged from his duties. By 1846 the number stood at 26. Today there are 56 Centeniers. Each parish provided a framework for ecclesiastical, civil and military organisations. Despite the small geographical area of the Island, from a cultural perspective, rather than becoming a single island-wide community, Jersey developed unusually as an island comprising of twelve separate States, each having considerable discretion to shape and control events that took place within parish boundaries. The role of the parish as the primary unit of social organisation in Jersey is of vital importance. The twelve parishes have an internal structure designed to promote good stewardship. Most positions are honorary and office holders are elected by the rate payers of the respective 5 | P a g e parish. In other jurisdictions all of these services would be provided by the state via paid functionaries. The Parish and the Ecclesiastical Parish were and still are so interlinked and rate payers of all Parishes have to maintain and upkeep the Parish Church and Rectory. In 1552, when all objects of Popery were strictly forbidden, a woman was seen entering into one of the Parish Churches carrying a rosary. The Connétable went up to her and told her to hand over the rosary to him immediately. She refused and when the case was heard, possibly by a Centenier, the sentence given was that the woman’s husband should be sent to prison for allowing his wife to behave in such an idolatrous way. By the end of the 17th century, St. Peter’s church was at the centre of a bitter quarrel between its Rector and the Connétable. The Rector and Dean of Jersey wanted to celebrate Holy Communion on Christmas Day as well as on the four Sundays laid down by ecclesiastical law. The Connétable and the Churchwardens would not hear of any more than the four communions, this was not on doctrinal grounds, but because the Parish would have to pay for the extra wine. Along with the creation of the two officers, Connétable and Centenier, further development of officers took place and the creation of the position of Vingtenier and Officiers du Connétable, both can be traced back to around the same period. Originally the title of Officers du Connétable was referred to as ‘sermente’ or ‘sworn men’ and 6 | P a g e comprised of those individuals who were sworn as members of the ‘enditement’ or jury of preliminary enquiry. Records dating back to 1574 indicated that serments heard evidence out of court and arrests were made on their requests.