Driving offences (FOI)

Request

I would like to know, over the last 12 months:

A

How many reports have the States of Jersey Police received regarding;

• drivers using mobile phones

• drivers jumping red lights

• drivers going the wrong way up one-way streets

• accidents caused by drivers accused of any or all the above

B

I would also like to know, in relation to the above:

• how many complaints relating to all the above, were documented by the complainants (video footage submitted for review)

• how many of those reports resulted in direct contact from the States of Jersey Police (whether footage was submitted or not)

• how many arrests were made by The States of Jersey Police in direct relation to those complaints

• how many of those alleged incidents were sent to magistrate's court

• what percentage of those cases resulted in a conviction

C

And finally:

• how many CCTV cameras are in and around St Helier

• how many of those cameras are in good working order

• how many of those cameras have been inoperable over the last 12 months

Response

A

Reports to the States of Jersey Police are recorded on our telephone log system (Ilog). Separately, police officers will have witnessed incidents and reported the driver. Recorded offences will therefore be greater than incidents reported by the public.

B

The States of Jersey Police do not hold the information requested in a searchable format. Whether a report contains evidence from a member of the public in video form is not recorded separately. To establish if video was submitted would require a manual search of each and every record which would take in excess of the time allowed under the Freedom of Information regulations. The States of Jersey Police High Tech Crime unit process all CCTV and video footage seized as evidence. This will include footage from the public, from public transport vehicles, private premises video and the street systems available to the States of Jersey Police. Cases are not categorised by ‘where the video evidence comes from’.

Evidence from the public has been used to prosecute offences of dangerous, reckless and careless driving. Each video submitted is viewed and assessed for its evidential content and action will follow if deemed appropriate.

C

The States of Jersey Police have direct access to, and maintain, 34 cameras in the St Helier area. Other sources of video are available from private premises, public sources such as vehicle dash cameras and individuals filming via smart phones.

All of the 34 States of Jersey Police maintained cameras are fully operational. Should a camera fail and require repair, this is done by our own engineers at the earliest opportunity (within 24 hours). In the last 12 months, only three cameras have required some remedial work. Full operational coverage is maintained for over 99% of the time.

Exemption applied

Article 16 - A scheduled public authority may refuse to supply information if cost excessive

(1) A scheduled public authority that has been requested to supply information may refuse to supply the information if it estimates that the cost of doing so would exceed an amount determined in the manner prescribed by Regulations.

Regulation 2 (1) of the Freedom of Information (Costs) (Jersey) Regulations 2014 allows an authority to refuse a request for information where the estimated cost of dealing with the request would exceed the specified amount of the cost limit of £500. This is the estimated cost of one person spending 12.5 working hours in determining whether the department holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting the information.