Governor Sir Richard Gozney and Public Safety Minister David Burch last night stood by claims that an agreement has been reached with the New York City Police Department for overseas assistance.

The NYPD has denied an offer or agreement had been made to send officers to Bermuda.

But yesterday Sir Richard told The Royal Gazette: "I am fully briefed. I expect the NYPD to come to Bermuda.

"The arrangements will be worked out between the Commissioner of the Bermuda Police Service and the NYPD. Their visit should certainly help, just as the FBI visit has helped this week."

Senator Burch also stood by his statement earlier this week that: "Government has accepted the offer from the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg, of assistance of officers from the NYC Police Department Gang Unit."

Last night the Minister said: "Categorically I can say that I was present when the Premier made the offer to the Commissioner of Police. The Commissioner accepted it immediately.

"I then remained in the Premier's office when he spoke to Mayor Bloomberg's office subsequently. I can't make it any clearer."

Sen. Burch told ZBM-TV: "Mayor Bloomberg happens to be the Mayor of New York City who fought against Giuliani getting a third term and then turned around eight years later and succeeded in getting a third term for himself.

"He's no slouch. I can't imagine he is going to make a promise to someone of assistance, a personal friend the Premier, and then to allow other people to preclude this isn't happening. I don't think so."

On Tuesday, the Minister said the NYPD officers would help investigations into five gun murders in the past year, believed to be gang related.

The announcement followed the death on Sunday of 34-year-old Perry Puckerin, the fourth man killed in less than a month.

Sen. Burch said Mayor Bloomberg had contacted the Premier to offer help from the NYPD in tackling the growing gang problem.

He said that as an Island resident, Mayor Bloomberg had "a keen interest in the safety of Bermuda" and had recommended the Police Commissioner speak to the head of the Gang Unit.

Asked for further details, Sen. Burch told a press conference: "In the case of the New York officers they're most likely going to be assisting Police in the investigation of crimes."

He added this would include "forensics".

An article in New York Post stated the next day: "Looks like crime is so low in New York that the NYPD is reportedly loaning out officers to Bermuda to solve a series of gang murders."

The NYPD however, released a statement denying officers were to be sent here.

Force spokesperson Paul Browne said Deputy Chief Robert Boyce of the Gang Division had only offered strategic advice over the telephone.

"No offer was made or agreed upon to send NYPD personnel to Bermuda, however," he said.

Last night NYPD press officer Sergeant Carlos Nieves reaffirmed the statement.

Asked whether officers were likely to be deployed to Bermuda, he told The Royal Gazette: "The statement by Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne is accurate."

Shadow Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley said: "We hope we can get this squared away because the offer was very interesting and Michael Bloomberg is a good friend of Bermuda and is willing to help in any area he can.

"The NYPD has obviously had tremendous success in dealing with the challenges they've faced so we hope we can get this squared away, because we don't need to be distracted by sideshows when we have a serious situation like this on our hands."

The Opposition Senate Leader said: "I will take the Premier and the Minister at their word and we will be willing to help in any way we can to try and move this forward."

Michael Fahy of the Bermuda Democratic Alliance added: "Senator Burch's comments implied that assistance from the NYPD was to be in the form of officers on the ground undertaking forensics work.

"It would now seem, based on the comments from the NYPD, that there was no offer made or agreed to send NYPD personnel to Bermuda. Is the NYPD coming or not? The people of Bermuda need answers and leadership, not spin."