Guernsey Police Commences Training for New Domestic Abuse Legislation

Guernsey Police has initiated training in anticipation of amendments to the island’s domestic violence laws. The force stated that the Domestic Abuse Law (DAL), which received approval from the States of Guernsey in the autumn, is expected to become effective in early 2025, following Royal Assent. To prepare for its implementation, senior officers are receiving instruction from the Crown’s law officers regarding the new offences, powers, and procedural guidelines required to enforce the forthcoming legislation, according to the force. The DAL is designed to grant enhanced powers to the police force for safeguarding domestic abuse victims, introducing supplementary offences related to domestic abuse, as well as new offences concerning child abuse and the dissemination of images. One illustration of these changes is the introduction of new domestic abuse protection notices. Police stated these notices would allow them to prohibit an individual from contacting their victim for a period of 72 hours, until that individual can attend court and be issued a protection order. A spokesperson for Guernsey Police commented: “This is a complex area of the new law that all of our officers will be receiving training on to ensure they fully understand how they work and can be used.” In October, an internal police email, which was subsequently posted online, drew attention to the absence of such powers. The email expressed criticism regarding the training provided to officers concerning charges for domestic abuse, asserting that the organization was “setting custody sergeants up to fail.”