FOR many years a succession of States Members, people with special knowledge of policing, and, indeed, many ordinary Islanders have recognised that Jersey is in need of an independent police authority.

Unfortunately, the gulf between recognising the desirability of such an authority and actually creating one has, so far, not been bridged – though that could change in the new year.

A fresh attempt has been made to draw up acceptable rules under which a police authority would operate and these will be considered by the States in February. If they are approved, the authority could be set up and begin operating in 2012.

Although there has been theoretical acceptance for a long time that a police authority is not merely to be desired but a necessity, events of the past few years have reinforced this perception.

It is probable that a suitable authority would have prevented the gross mishandling of the Haut de la Garenne inquiry. It is also likely that it would have offered advice preventing former police chief Graham Power from adopting the position which led ultimately to his suspension from office.

It would, of course, be wrong to suggest that the proposed independent authority will, if approved, be a panacea for all the complex problems which can arise even in the policing of a small community such as ours. In spite of this, at the very least it will provide an answer to a question that has been dodged for far too long – who polices our police force?

This is not to say that the new body should suddenly assume prime responsibility for the way in which the Island is policed from day to day or for the running of the force. The proposed structure – which has been devised with the assistance of the new police chief, Mike Bowron – is, in fact, subtle and layered in a way that should simultaneously ensure effective policing with equally effective levels of oversight from the Home Affairs Minister and the new authority.

Given States Members’ propensity for prevarication and for baulking at the detail of propositions, it is by no means certain that the law underpinning the new authority will be passed early next year. However, even at this stage it looks as if the Island is closer than ever before to seeing the creation of a check and balance that is not optional but vital.