The Bermuda Chamber of Commerce has called on Bermuda Police Service (BPS) to bring in some 60 overseas recruits immediately and also explain how it will deal with a growing concern over crime and public safety.

The Chamber?s call comes on the heels of a number of incidents involving member businesses. Of particular concern are this month?s alleged racially motivated attack on a Portuguese football fan at Docksider?s Pub on Front Street and an alleged gang related drive-by shooting at South Road?s Swizzle Inn which left an 18-year-old man injured. Chamber members also worry about continuing gang violence, purse snatchings, thefts from visitors and break-ins at guest accommodations.

In a statement, vice president Philip Barnett said that while the Chamber fully supports the BPS, its members are concerned that the Island?s reputation for visitor safety will undoubtedly be undermined by such recent events.

?These events have the very real ability to not only negatively affect the lives of all members and families, but also possibly impact their livelihoods by having potential Bermuda visitors not come due to fears of crimes against them,? he said adding that such fear could trickle down to the Island?s ability to attract and retain guest workers and business executives working in international business.

Last night, the Government said it too was concerned about recent crimes and Police staffing shortages.

Walter Lister, Minister without Portfolio, said the need for new recruits was ?real, not imagined? adding: ?A concerted recruitment effort, both locally and overseas, is under way to increase manpower.?

The Chamber said yesterday it was concerned that the BPS was ?woefully undermanned? and that it was not getting its physical numbers up quickly enough to address the criminal and public safety issues expeditiously and firmly.

Last week, Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton told the House of Assembly that the Police Service is some 40 officers below full strength. A recruitment drive is now underway both locally and in Jamaica. However Mr. Barnett told The Royal Gazette that in a meeting two months ago, Police Commissioner George Jackson informed the Chamber that the BPS need 60 officers immediately, but due to a lack of housing, overseas recruits will not be arriving for six months. Police would not confirm these numbers yesterday.

?This is too long, as it will probably be a further six months before all new arrivals have been effectively oriented and trained in Bermuda policing methodology as well as getting acquainted and become knowledgeable enough with the Bermuda environment,? said Mr. Barnett. He suggests that the police service use the money it has not spent on salaries ? since it has been understaffed ? to either pay for higher priced short-term accommodation or to give recruits incentive to live in barracks style housing. Our fears are that a lack of proper policing due to being undermanned, as well as the strain put on the remaining overworked Bermuda Police Service will mean that things have the distinct possibility of becoming much worse before they have a chance of getting better,? he said adding that rank and file police officers have informed chamber members that morale is low since they currently struggle to work so much overtime.

The chamber also wants to hear a comprehensive plan as to how the BPS plans to attack what businesses see as a burgeoning gang mentality.

?There may very well be comprehensive plans but it is time to publicise them. The public needs to have faith that the police service is going to do something and business needs to have faith there is a plan in place to do something about it and we want to hear it,? said Mr. Barnett.

A Police spokesman said yesterday that the BPS would speak to these issues at an already scheduled press conference on crime and antisocial behaviour today.

Mr. Lister said that the Police service was experiencing increasing difficulty in local recruitment and in recruiting officers from traditional jurisdictions overseas, including the Caribbean and the UK. ?Consequently, the Service has quadrupled its efforts in order to reach its targeted numbers,? he said. ?Some of these new Police officers have been interviewed already and should arrive in Bermuda within the next few weeks, pending the availability of appropriate housing.

?Whilst the accommodation of Police officers from overseas remains problematic, we are confident that suitable accommodation will be found for the approximately forty Police officers who will be joining the Service later this year.?

Mr. Lister said the Government shared the concerns of the Chamber of Commerce with respect to crime and public safety.

He listed a range of initiatives and strategies designed to heighten levels of public safety including:

* the recent appointment of an Assistant Commissioner of Police with special responsibility for narcotics, crime and intelligence,

* the extension of CCTV in the North of Hamilton,

* the establishment of a task force to address handbag snatchings and burglaries,

* the establishment of the Tourist Crime Unit to provide a visible presence in areas frequented by our visitors,

* the continuation of the Community Policing Programme.

He also said the specialist Police Support Unit [PSU], which is trained to deal with violent offenders, made frequent patrols to known areas where crime and disorder occur.

Mr. Lister said a recent upsurge in gang activity posed a threat to quality of life.

?Violence and gang-related activity on the Island can be addressed effectively via a concerted effort on the part of all stakeholders, including the Bermuda Police Service, community organisations, schools, churches and the like.

?To that end, the Government has engaged the services of a team, led by Sgt. De Lacy Davis of the East Orange, New Jersey Police Department, with a great deal of proven experience in dismantling the gangs culture in the Eastern United States. A large percentage of the Island?s crimes are committed by young people, many of whom are believed to be associated with gangs, and it is the Government?s expectation that the new anti gangs initiative will lead to a significant reduction of crime overall in the Island.?