A “downsized” Police Week will kick off this weekend to mark the force’s 136th birthday.

This year the annual week of community events has been shorn of the police ball in a bid to reduce expenditure as the Bermuda Police Service try to meet tough budget targets.

Michael DeSilva, the Commissioner of Police, said this year’s theme would be “Serving Our Community Together” and would include the traditional seniors’ tea, memorial service and police gymkhana. But he acknowledged that financial challenges and forced redundancies meant there was less to celebrate.

“We have seen our budget reduce five per cent this year, and for the first time in a long time I have had to take the very difficult decision of not renewing officers’ contracts to reduce the number of staff on payroll and get inside our budget reduction target,” he said.

“With these things bearing down on us it would appear that we do not have much to celebrate.

“We have decided to change focus slightly and not hold a police ball, which normally accounts for a third of our $100,000 events budget.

“We are looking for all of Police Week to be operated on a cost neutral basis of corporate sponsorship and volunteers. Expenditure will be minimal.”

The police ball, which normally serves as the finale to the week’s events, will be replaced by a barbecue and charity crown and anchor event at Police Field on October 10.

Money raised by the event — where participants will donate money to play crown and anchor — will go to the Centre Against Abuse and the Coalition for the Protection of Children.

Meanwhile, the BPS will also present cheques to the two designated charities from last year; Women’s Resource Centre and Big Brothers, Big Sisters during the evening.

“We are downsizing police week in light of the economic climate and austerity measures,” said Mr DeSilva.

“It’s the right thing to do, but having said that this is still a very important week for us — it’s a week of highlighting our role within the community and making it stronger and we will be doing everything we can to make it a success.”

Sunday’s interfaith service at 10am at CedarBridge Academy will be followed by the Commissioner’s Vision Awards on Monday at 7pm.

On Tuesday the seniors’ tea, which often attracts several hundred residents, will be held at the Heritage Worship Centre between 11am and 3pm.

Hamilton and Somerset Police Station as well as the Dockyard Marine Police Office will host open houses on Wednesday between 10am and 3pm, while on Thursday at 11am the annual memorial service will take place at Prospect Cemetery.

A change of command ceremony for the Reserve Police will be held at 6pm at the BPS headquarters courtyard.

The service’s sports and fun day will begin at 9am on Friday at Police Field, while on Saturday the popular gymkhana will run from 10am to 4pm at the same venue.

To find out more about Sunday’s charity barbecue and crown and anchor evening contact pmr@bps.bm