Senator Ian Le Marquand at Press conference The Home Affairs minister said policing matters were over politicisedA consistent lack of police leadership skills has been blamed for failures in Jersey's historic abuse inquiry in an independent report.
Wiltshire Police were asked to examine the handling of the inquiry into ex-children's home Haut de la Garenne.
Among 19 criticisms, suspended chief of police Graham Power lacked policing skills and failed to work effectively with the media, the report found.
He said he has always stated the probe could have been handled differently.
Police in Jersey began a covert investigation at the former children's home in 2006, which became public in November of the following year.
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“Start Quote
It's very unsatisfactory that after £1m has been spent we haven't had a fair hearing”
End Quote Graham Power Suspended chief of police
Mr Power, who was suspended in November 2008, is due to retire next month.
Last week the Home Affairs Minister, Senator Ian Le Marquand, said disciplinary proceedings against the 63-year-old had been dropped, as there would be no time to complete them before his retirement.
The Wiltshire Police report into Operation Rectangle [the States of Jersey police historic abuse inquiry] stated Deputy Chief Officer Lenny Harper should not have been senior investigating officer when he had not led an investigation of the kind for 16 years.
The report also found that Mr Harper should have been supervised by Mr Power.
Mr Power was additionally said to have neglected to establish a media strategy, particularly when releasing information that partial remains of a child had been discovered.
What was found was eventually established to be coconut shell.
The report recommended that officers be seconded to UK police services to ensure they maintain skill levels and that an independent advisory group or police authority, based on the UK model, should be established.
A separate report by Jersey Comptroller and Auditor General Chris Swinson found a conflict of interest between the Home Affairs department which controls finances and the chief of police who is in charge of spending within the service.
Mr Swinson recommended that this could be resolved by forming an independent police authority.
'Politicisation of police'
Mr Power told BBC Jersey: "What we have now is effectively the prosecution case which has been put out as if it was uncontested.
"We haven't seen the defence case and it's very unsatisfactory that after £1m has been spent we haven't had a fair hearing and we haven't had a chance to put forward our defence."
Senator Le Marquand said: "We've got a serious issue in Jersey which actually Mr Power highlights in one of his statements and, I agree, of politicisation of policing matters.
"It's hopeful that by means of having a police authority dealing with matters, with the minister therefore being withdrawn from that but still having oversight for policy and so on, that we may move away from this."
Frank Walker, who was chief minister at the time of the Haut de la Garenne inquiry, said he always thought the structure of the home affairs department needed to be changed and agreed that the relationship with the police needed to be examined.
Jersey abuse inquiry 'lacked leadership'