ST Helier’s honorary police are prepared to boycott a joint peacekeeping operation with the States police next month as a row between the two forces appears to deepen.

It is understood that a lack of access to States police communications will be a contributing factor if they do not take part.

Earlier this week the JEP revealed that the States police are currently withholding some information from their honorary counterparts on data protection grounds.At a weekly meeting yesterday between representatives of both forces, it is understood that St Helier Vingtenier Mitch Couriard told States police representatives that the St Helier volunteer force would not be taking part in a planned Operation Focus next month.

Today, Mr Couriard would make no comment other than to say he was not talking on behalf of the St Helier force as a whole.However, it is known that some honorary officers are concerned that unless they have full access to all necessary communications they could be be exposed to unnecessary risk on town streets.The police regularly arrange Operation Focus over certain weekends to crackdown on drunken and violent behaviour.

If the honorary officers do not take part, then it is likely that it will cost more to conduct Operation Focus next month as the States police will need extra manpower and resources.

P insp Sara Garwood said that as always the St Helier honorary force have been invited to take part in the operation and it was up to them to decide if they wished to participate.

She added that the honorary force have access to the same communications as their States police counterparts.