Cash seized from criminals funds police gun range

Money taken from criminals will help pay the remaining bill for Jersey's new police firearms range.

Treasury Minister Elaine Millar has signed off an extra £280,000 for the project, using cash from the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund (COCF).

The fund holds money seized from crime and can be used to support law enforcement.

The new training centre for armed officers opened in September. It gives police a safe space to practise with weapons and keep up their skills.

A report presented to the States says the minister has agreed to allocate up to £455,000 from the fund. That includes £175,000 for IT upgrades to store evidence from major incidents in 2022, and £280,000 for the gun range.

The report explains: "The COCF holds balances awarded from the confiscation of proceeds of crime. The fund is then able to use these awarded receipts to provide funds towards activities to meet ongoing criminal activities, or the legal implications of investigations."

The attorney general has been consulted and backed the move.

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