Wanted: police for crime-free islands

WITH crime rates in Britain depressingly high and police pay dismally low, now might be a perfect time for an experienced officer to consider an overseas posting.

But rather than the palmfringed beaches highlighted in television’s Death in Paradise series, one job that has recently been advertised is for a slightly more windswept and isolated location.

The Falkland Islands government is looking to appoint a new detective sergeant to join its police force, which has not had a murder to investigate for more than 30 years and where robbery and serious violence are virtually unheard of.

In an effort to attract applicants from Britain, the Royal Falkland Islands Police is keen to point out that there are never any traffic jams on the 4,700-square-mile territory.

It has 3,000 residents and enviably low crime rates, and the successful candidate is promised plenty of time to enjoy the spectacular scenery and wonderful wildlife on offer.

The island’s prison, housed within the police station, has a handful of inmates mainly serving short sentences for minor offences.

In recent months, the force has dealt with reports of an assault outside the Falklands’ only fast-food restaurant, two unexploded bombs left over from the 1982 war, and a case of suspected breaking and entering.

But most of the time life is fairly uneventful. Last month, police appealed for help to reunite a camera owner with a missing lens cap and posted details of some headphones that had been handed in at the station.

The advertisement states: “Set in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Falkland Islands benefits from unique wildlife, low crime rates, free healthcare, excellent school provision, and the close proximity of South America as a holiday destination.”

The successful candidate will be paid up to £40,000 a year.