Blast of hot air

Thursday 23rd July 2009, 2:58PM BST.

From Terry Connor.
CAN someone please explain to me why there is so much furore over Operation Blast. Surely the prime function of the police is to protect and promote public order, and who has more potential to derail this precious service than those in high office?

Recently I watched a TV documentary on the surveillance of King Edward VIII ( mounted of course in the national interest ) due to his private liaisons.

If our local police force was any less diligent in monitoring the activities, proclivities and possible deviations of our powerful political mandarins then this would really be a cause for serious concern.

I am quite nonplussed that States Members should not be wholly delighted that anyone should consider them to be of such importance and take them so seriously that ‘files would be worth the while’.

1
Nick

July 24, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Yes I can. You are right in that such files are in the national interest and provide protection not only for the country (Island in this case) but also the individual who is the subject,but only if properly held by the right people, with a firmly established remit as to what information they should hold, and with an established procedure for accessing the information by the subject party who would also be aware of an established procedure for amending or removing any inaccurate or scurrilous information.
The Police are not the people to retain such files, they should be kept securely in the office of the Home Affairs Minister under a formal system of control and access laid down by the States Assembly in debate.I would suggest a controlling panel made up of the current Home Affairs Minister/a senior member of Special Branch/and an elected member of the States in a scrutiny type role.There should be no tittle tattle or heresay on these records which should be limited to clearly defined matters of National Security,knowledge of any current criminal activity, establishing the subject’s mental state and capacity to contract (i.e.not a minor).Access to add, delete or amend information is through the panel,but should be established procedures.Initial and ongoing content should be reviewed by the panel and the suject individual on a bi-annual basis.File contents should only become public knowledge in cases where a successful criminal prosecution has taken place of the individual concerned.
The keeping of any other similar unofficial files would be illegal and grounds for prosecution of the parties responsible.

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2
Nathan Jordan

July 24, 2009 at 6:00 pm

It’s strange that while I believe passionately in civil liberties I find it hard to become emotional about this kind of operation.

The issue of the intelligence the Police collect and retain seems less important to me than that which they do with said information.

In the case of Politicians, I also think there is sufficient grounds to say that if they were more retiring individuals and wished for a more private mode de vie, they would not have chosen the career they are now following.

This was touched on in the other forum about whether Jersey should have a Sex Offender’s Register. I opposed this on the grounds that rumours and conjecture could be made public in a way that they would not if such information was stored confidentially by the Police.

The kind of intelligence work allegedly carried out by Operation Blast doesn’t seem to be too Orwellian and provided that non crime related information is held confidentially, I see no reason why this should pose a threat to anyone’s freedom.

The only qualifier I would place on this is that the politician in question be allowed to view their own file at any time and be able to challenge the data contained therein through a confidential appeals process. They must already be aware however that the level of privacy as enjoyed by regular members of the public is a little unrealistic. NJ.

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3
Darren Le Geyt

July 25, 2009 at 6:51 am

It is very simple.

Everybody has the (or should have) the right to privacy.

The authorities can only surveille individuals if they have REASONABLE grounds (I would prefer evidence) to suspect and individual of criminal wrongdoing.

All other instances would be partisan or worse.

Do not let them get away with it.

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