THE hand-written notes taken during the meeting to suspend Police Chief Graham Power were shredded or burned, it was claimed during a secret States debate yesterday.
The papers’ existence was at the heart of yesterday’s in camera debate over the procedures used to suspend Mr Power, who has been in charge of the States police for eight years. States Members voted by 29 to 21 not to adopt a proposition to force a full independent inquiry into the handling of the matter, but Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand – a former Magistrate and lawyer – said that he would conduct his own review, having taken over the responsibility for the police since the suspension was made.
Although yesterday’s debate was held in camera, in accordance with the Police Force (Jersey) Law, some Members have spoken to the JEP to talk about what was said. They said that the two main points were about the whereabouts of the original notes from the meeting on 12 November, when the then Home Affairs Minister, Andrew Lewis, suspended Mr Power (58) over the handling of the historical abuse inquiry, and the rules setting out suspension procedures for Jersey’s senior policeman.
Although Mr Power (pictured) has kept a low profile since being suspended two months ago, a set of ‘briefing notes’ that he sent out to States Members ahead of a previous debate were leaked to the JEP. In the notes he claimed he had been suspended unfairly and against the set rules, and that his suspension was politically motivated and were an attempt to ‘publicly humiliate and demoralise’ him.
Article posted on 22nd January, 2009 - 2.59pm
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