It comes as no surprise, but certainly with sadness that Lenny Harper is retiring and leaving Jersey in August, 2008. Harper has been with the Jersey police force since 2002.
Harper’s investigation into abuse at Haut de la Garenne has often drawn criticism due to his openness with the public and international press.
Harper, a resident of Londonderry, Ireland, has served with the police since 1974. He served with the Metropolitan Police, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), as well as the Strathclyde Police.
Deputy Chief Constable David Warcup will replace Harper. Warcup is currently serving with the Northumbria Police force in England. It is not yet known if the Haut de la Garenne investigation will be assigned to Warcup.
As reported in the BBC, Warcup says: "I am delighted to have been offered this post and I'm looking forward to taking up the appointment presently.
"In applying for the States of Jersey position, I've been very impressed with the enthusiasm shown by the officers and staff who work on the island, and their commitment to developing a modern and vibrant force."
Despite threats of violence and even death, Lenny Harper has proven to be unshakeable in his commitment to weeding out corruption in the Jersey force as well as leading the daunting task of the investigation at Haut de la Garenne.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
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3 comments:
Now we shall have to wait and see if the inept ruling elite in Jersey are successful in slowing the investigation.
Looking at the local press, which has always been closely tied to the elite, those in power appear to be initiating the case it is all in the past and so too expensive now to continue. They do not come right out and say so, but the emphasis on the debilitating expense is clear to see by reading the Jersey Evening Post, now.
Perhaps they intend to create an unnecessary choice among their populace between a thorough investigation and some painful economic sacrifice. It would be a false choice, because it is an astonishingly wealthy island, despite high poverty rates and an unusually high cost of living for the poor.
Nevertheless, if the independent outside press does not manage to dig much further into the systematic child abuse on the island, those damaged and lost children will never find a voice.
Let's hope for a heroic effort by some intrepid journalist so the work of Stuart Syvret and Lenny Harper will be completed.
No place ever needed cleansing by the bright light of exposed truth the way Jersey does right now.
I read the JEP piece you refer to and just shook my head, thinking pretty much the same thoughts you expressed.
The is a pretty interesting story, Jersey's Culture of Concealment by Patrick Muirhead who used to work for BBC Radio 4 as well as an anchor for the local TV news.
Muirhead says, “an experience etched in my memory as dismal, embarrassing and shaming. I was shackled from pursuing any punchy journalism in a laughably amateurish TV outfit for fear of upsetting the station's friends…”
Seems Frank Walker’s son was a cameraman and the co-anchor was a senior politician’s mistress.
The incestuous relationship among the Jersey media, politicians and money handlers is rampant. So, I think we can all see why there are problems in Jersey.
The article can be found at -
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article3803363.ece
I totally agree that Syvret and Harper’s brilliant efforts shouldn’t be in vain! The victims should not have to suffer more than they have.
Apologies, the url got cut because it is so long
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/
columnists/guest_contributors/
article3803363.ece
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