Detectives and two police staff investigators are believed to be the first officers in the UK to become special constables for the Bermuda Police Service.

A total of 16 staff, 14 detectives and two police staff investigators, from the Hampshire Major Investigation Team have been sworn in by Michael DeSilva, the Commissioner of Bermuda Police Service, and will now be able to investigate serious crimes on board Bermuda-registered vessels in Hampshire ports.

“Every year, officers from the constabulary have a need to investigate crimes committed on board cruise ships coming into to Southampton, some of them very serious, in the past including murder and rape investigations,” a spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said.

“Many of these vessels are registered in Bermuda. However, in most instances the UK police have no police powers or jurisdiction.”

A Memorandum of Understanding has been established between the BPS and several entities in the UK, including the Home Office, and Hampshire Constabulary, a move that was welcomed by Mr DeSilva.

“For us this is about partnering up with a UK force, which allows us to provide a more appropriate and faster response to ships that are registered in Bermuda,” he said.

“Through this partnership with Hampshire Constabulary, we can overcome the logistical delays caused by flying in from Bermuda — there are only five flights a week to the UK and so it can often take up to two days to get there.

“This MoU gives us more options and means that we may not have to deploy every time a crime is reported which requires investigation.

“Importantly for us, it also gives us a footing as a UK police force. The six Caribbean territories and Bermuda are all British territories, and while we are not a Home Office force, we are part of UK policing and it is very important for us to be part of this.”

As Bermudian Specials, Hampshire detectives will now have the power of arrest on board ship.

“Given the short period of time that ships are in port, geography dictates that it is difficult for Bermudian police to get here in time, which can cause delays critical to the investigation,” Sergeant Paul Campbell said.

“Whilst such investigations are not overly frequent, it is really important that we have these powers in place in order to perform a proper investigation and, most importantly, provide an excellent service in supporting victims of crime.”

He said the process was unprecedented in UK policing with a number of other UK forces and countries, including the Bahamas and British Virgin Islands, looking to forge similar agreements.

The agreement was authorised by the Home Secretary under Section 26 of the Police Act 1996.

“We have already supported the development and creation of guidance by the International Maritime Organisation with regards to safeguarding of evidence, and victim and pastoral care post-incident,” Chief Constable Andy Marsh said.

“We have also created policies for the safeguarding of children on UK ships and advised the UK government on response options for incidents of piracy and we continue to work with the Home Office in developing better powers for the police to investigate serious crime on ships.”