Premier Alex Scott's suggestion that Independence would decrease crime by giving Government control over the Police force is “the wildest of stretches, the biggest of spins, that I have ever seen a politician try to do in my life,” shadow Public Safety minister Maxwell Burgess said yesterday.

“Government foots the bill for the Bermuda Police Service, and he who foots the bill normally gets things done,” Mr. Burgess declared.

In an interview with The Royal Gazette last week, Mr. Scott argued that Independence would give Bermudians control over the criminal justice system.

“We want to fight crime, drugs, and have a society that is safe for everyone,” he said on Wednesday. “I can't direct the Minister for Public Safety to direct the Police Commissioner to do the following because he answers to the Governor ... We don't control the chief cop in this community.”

Mr. Burgess, formerly the Minister for Public Safety, took issue with the Premier's comments.

“With the extent to which the Bermuda Government has... day-to-day responsibility for overseeing the Police, that statement doesn't make sense to me,” he said.

“It can't make sense to the Bermudian people to say that the level of lawlessness, the senseless acts of violence with machetes, will get solved by severing ties with Britain.”

The Scott Government holds the purse strings, Mr. Burgess said - not the British Government. “If they want more Police on Front Street and they set aside money for it, it is likely to happen.”

Independence will not, for example, change Bermuda's crime profile on the US State Department website, Mr. Burgess said. “It is the will to do it that will get it done.”

Governor Sir John Vereker also responded to the Premier's comments yesterday with a statement from Government House saying there is give and take in the power dynamics controlling the Police Service.

While the Bermuda Government controls the budget (and therefore resources), the Governor has control over operational matters.

Theoretically, successful operations depend on resources, and resources can be allocated according to what operations are deemed necessary.

For example, in 2004, Government approved $600,000 for five additional Police and civilian support staff for the Financial Investigation's Unit to tackle the increase in white collar crime on the Island.

Law and order issues are regularly discussed between the Governor and the Premier, and the Governor and the Minister, Government House said.

In fact, just yesterday morning the Premier and the Governor discussed recent episodes involving apparent serious witness intimidation.

“The Governor has special responsibility under the Constitution for the Bermuda Police Service, and the Commissioner of Police reports to him on operational matters,” Sir John said.

“However, since 1977 the Government of Bermuda has had responsibility for Police manpower issues, and is of course also responsible for the budget.

“Moreover, as the Governor made it clear to the Premier, tackling drug abuse, which is at the root of many of the current incidents, cannot be left to the forces of law and order alone.

“There are many possible measures, ranging from changes in legislation (for instance, for witness protection or for the exclusion of the right of bail for certain offences) to enhancements of manpower (for instance, for further Police Support Units or for closed circuit television, CCTV) which are already entirely within the responsibility of the Government.

“The Bermuda Police Service, meanwhile, is wholly committed to doing what it can within its existing resources and legislative framework to maintaining Bermuda as a law-abiding community, both for its own citizens and for our many visitors.”

Government pumped an additional $4.6 million into the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety in 2004, with public safety being the key priority.

Some $700,000 was approved for 11 additional Police Support Unit officers, along with the $600,000 for officers in the Financial Crime Unit.

Funding was also made for the hiring of new station duty officers in anticipation of the completion of the new East End Police Station at Southside; and for a new generator, speed cameras, and CCTV.

Mr. Burgess urged members of the public to report “hooligans” to the Police, though he added that would only take place when witness protection legislation was passed. “And we don't need the British Government for that,” he said.

“I believe the day will come when we will be Independent,” Mr. Burgess added. “And we will be responsible. But we cannot accept these levels of lawlessness existing at the moment while we are waiting for that day to come.”