Ranks within the Bermuda Reserve Police have been retitled and allocated new uniform insignias as a way of creating “a more efficient supervisory management system”.

Supervisory ranks within the reserves have traditionally mirrored the same ranks throughout the full-time police.

Michael DeSilva, Commissioner of Police, explained: “The roles and responsibilities of BRP supervisors are significantly different from those of their counterparts in the Bermuda Police Service. For example, reserve supervisors do not have the same powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence (PACE) Act when it comes to powers of detention, bail, searching private homes, and so on.

“I felt it was important that we find a new insignia that appropriately reflects the unique supervisory role in the BRP. At the same time I am sensitive to the impact these changes might have on our officers, and I have been careful to keep things subtle.”

The sergeant rank has been renamed section officer and the inspector and chief inspector rank have been combined to form the chief officer rank. There are no changes to the insignia worn by reserve constables.

A small ceremony was held this month where the commissioner, along with commandant Sandra Beach and deputy commander commandant Ron-Michel Davis, appointed the following reserve officers to their new ranks: assistant commandant Arnim Donawa, chief officer Mikkel Harris, chief officer Shawn Russell, chief officer Timothy Vieira, chief officer Adam Hall, section officer Jeffrey Benevides, section officer Michael Terceira, section officer Sherry Tucker, section officer Jason Simons, section officer Kennia Jones, and section officer Karim Hewey.

The commissioner and the commandant said a target had been set of recruiting 100 reserve officers during the 2016/17 financial year, an increase of about 30 per cent.

Commandant Beach said: “The BRP has provided support to the Bermuda Police Service for many years and in recent years we have been able to make a real success of integrating more and can now stand alongside the career officers in almost every area of policing.

“I can assure you that every officer who is either newly appointed or otherwise promoted this evening has expressed their commitment to this organisation. We have a strong and amazing team, one that will bring continued success and cause the BRP to shine even more.

“My vision is that the BRP will provide even greater levels of support and work even more closely with the BPS. This will happen as we set about assisting with the Strategic Plan for the years 2016-2018.

“Some of this has already taken place beginning with the streamlining of the command and control structure within the reserves so that we can move our resources toward providing more operational support on the front line of policing.”