A Police officer was injured and a Police car window smashed last night as trouble-making youths marred Hallowe'en festivities.

A Police spokeswoman expressed disappointment that despite warnings, there were more problems last night than in the previous few years, but officers on patrol said most of the incidents were relatively minor.

A Police officer was taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital after being hit in the arm with a rock at Curving Avenue and Happy Valley Road, Pembroke, around 6.20 p.m. He was later released.

And vandals smashed the rear side window of a Police car in St. Augustine's Road, Pembroke, at 8.20 p.m. No officers were injured.

By 9.30 p.m., Police reported 20 incidents of rocks and eggs being thrown at homes and cars in Pembroke, Hamilton Parish, Sandys, and Devonshire.

At Harrington Sound Road, vandals broke the door of a woman's house.

Youths later set fire to a mattress and bicycle in the middle of the road in Curving Avenue.

A youth was arrested shortly after 10 p.m. following reports he was throwing rocks from the roof of The Royal Gazette building on Par-la-Ville Road.

Police organised mobile patrols last night in a bid to curb the egg-throwing and rowdy behaviour.

A Police spokeswoman said: "We are certainly disappointed that despite the advisories and the Police presence, people still chose to mar what should be a night of fun, particularly for children.

"Unfortunately, this was a busy Hallowe'en night for Police, more so than in previous years which were relatively quiet and safe.

"At this stage at least this is not the case, and it has been a pretty busy night for the Police service.

"An officer was hit by a thrown rock and taken to hospital to be checked upon. He was hit in the arm but his injuries were not serious and he was released.'' Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay visited the officer at the hospital before joining the frontlines with Deputy Commissioner Jonathan Smith in a marked Police vehicle.

Earlier, Police seized two knapsacks containing eggs, potatoes, onions and tomatoes in Ord Road, Paget.

And Police veterans at Com-Ops, the Police communications and operations centre, said most of the incidents were mainly nuisances.

Nuisance incidents rise on Hallowe'en night "I was fire bombed on Court Street, near Spinning Wheel, in the 1980s. It was worse,'' one officer said.

The Royal Gazette rode along with Mr. Lemay during his patrol while Police while three special Police Support Units cruised the island as a rapid reaction force and as a viisible presence.

Mr. Lemay said he wanted to ensure "that people get a feeling that there is a Police presence in the area'' as the car cruised through many parking lots, alleys, parks and ventured into more criminally active areas.

When asked whether or not it was advisable to have senior ranks, such as the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, on the front line -- in the same car.

"You have to lead from the front,'' said Mr. Lemay.

Although the incident count rose this year, many Police were relieved at the substantial improvement in the past decade.

Mr. Smith and some sergeants recalled times when venturing out in a Police car during Hallowe'en was asking for trouble.

"We used to drive unmarked cars because they would be waiting for these,'' said one sergeant as he tapped on the only damaged patrol car, adorned with egg shells, dented side panels and a broken side rear window.

At the scene of a fire on Curving Avenue, Fire Service Sgt. Edwin Ford said that prank fires could draw resources away from other possible calls.

The fire, fuelled by a stripped motorbike, bedspring mattress, nearby brush and other debris was quickly extinguished and swept off the road.