Back-of-town MP Ashfield DeVent has backed calls for an investigation into Police and other services amid allegations hard-core drug pushers have been caught red-handed but let off the hook.

Mr. DeVent believes from his experiences in Pembroke South East, as well as sitting in courts as a journalist, known offenders are being intentionally allowed to get away with their crimes.

"There are people in the community who everyone seems to know are involved, but the Police seem unwilling or unfocused to catch them," Mr. DeVent told The Royal Gazette.

"There are levels of corruption I see in my life moving around my constituency, as a reporter and former talk show host. There's corruption in the Police, prison and customs, I'm sure of it."

He was speaking after fellow Progressive Labour Party backbencher Wayne Perinchief called for a Commission of Inquiry, claiming dealers are apprehended before falling off the radar screen without being taken to Supreme Court.

A Commission of Inquiry would involve officials from overseas carrying out an investigation into Bermuda's services.

Police Commissioner George Jackson refused to comment on the allegations by either MP.

But Public Safety Minister David Burch said last night: "I am disappointed that so senior a former Police Officer (Wayne Perinchief) or any other senior official would choose this route to provide information rather than the proper channels that I am sure they are familiar with."

Both Mr. Perinchief and Mr. DeVent are concerned not enough is being done to stop an escalation of violence which has seen a spate of shootings, one of which claimed the life of Kenwandee Robinson in St. Monica's Road, Pembroke, two weeks ago.

Mr. DeVent said: "I believe the return on drugs in Bermuda is probably as high or is the highest in the world. Police services all over the world have pockets of corruption. To think Bermuda is an exception is to fool ourselves.

"Police seem to not investigate one matter as efficiently as they possibly could. It makes me think there's corruption in our services."

He said that from sitting in courts to see how cases develop he gets the impression corruption has long been a "part of the culture of a certain segment" of the Police service.

Former Assistant Commissioner Mr. Perinchief is due to meet Governor Sir Richard Gozney over his allegations this week.

Mr. DeVent said: "I certainly hope it's more than talk from the Governor. We have seen a rapid increase in the use of guns, and people being shot in the field. Some believe it's all tied together.

"I don't think until we truly address the area of possible corruption in the services we can move forward. We need to have a clean slate."

Mr. DeVent repeated his call for a permanently bigger Police presence in the back-of-town, rather than just in the aftermath of trouble.

"Residents of all these areas have been calling for a sustained presence for years," he said. "Now you see lots of Police, which in a sense is a good thing, but how long is it going to last?

"The Police presence has been stepped up after violence before, but then it disappears. Many people in those areas where it's allowed to happen have the impression the Police don't care about policing their area. It's becoming increasingly difficult for the Police to even get any support from residents. They don't really care and don't think they can trust them.

"If someone was shot in Tucker's Town as opposed to Middletown there would be a different reaction."

Saturday night's bloody violence at Bermuda High School's after-prom party at Royal Bermuda Yacht Club — at which gangsters are said to have smashed a teenager over the head with a bottle — shows how trouble is now creeping "across race", said Mr. DeVent.

"The country has some serious, serious issues and the Governor needs to do something in his role as head of policing, even if it's to prove that he's responsible." he said.

"We need to do something before we find ourselves in a huge mess."

Sir Richard has said he takes the claims seriously and arranged an urgent meeting with Mr. Perinchief. The Governor has also scheduled a press conference for this afternoon, on policing issues.