Members of the Bermuda Police Service have just completed a ten day course in new teaching methods which will cover the development of officers' attitude and behaviour for the first time.

Ten instructors and officers identified as potential instructors, who ranged in rank from constable to inspector, were taught by Sgt. Peter Bryant and Sgt.

Peter Stevens -- full-time instructors with the Sussex Police Force.

The course kicked off on March 27 and wrapped up April 9 and aimed at teaching the participants facilitation and new training methods.

Sgt. Bryant explained that Bermuda Police instructors still used knowledge-based training with the instructor standing at the front of the classroom by the blackboard teaching desk-bound students -- a method known as "chalk and talk''.

The modern approach was to use other forms of training, such as group work, role paying and practicals as well as "chalk and talk''. Instructors sit in with groups of students instead of teaching from the front of the room.

Sgt. Stevens clarified: "The students do rather than the instructor tells. We get rid of all the desks in the classroom.'' "The course follows general education techniques now being used,'' added Sgt.

Bryant. "It's not a Police oriented course.'' These new training methods -- which have been used in the UK for the past ten years -- still cover knowledge based training but also emphasise the development of skills, understanding, attitude and behaviour.

The new style of training zeroed in on these skills with instructors facilitating groups in a student-centered approach to training.

Sgt. Bryant noted that the local training had not addressed attitude or behaviour before, although they were areas the Police Service's Mission statement focussed on under the heading of fairness -- essentially fairness to the Bermudian public.

Meetings were held with Human Rights Commission director Kenneth Dill to identify what issues of fairness needed to be addressed in Bermuda so they could prepare the trainers who were role models to other Police officers.

The course is part of a series of programmes being conducted by UK Police officers as the local service attempts to advance its training department.

In May, other Sussex Police officers will visit Bermuda and put 18 local sergeants through a management programme.

Later in the year, Kent Police officers will come to Bermuda to put officers through an investigative course.

BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION -- Sussex Police Force instructors Sgt. Peter Stevens (centre left) and Sgt. Peter Bryant (centre right) have spent the last ten days on the Island introducing Police service personal to new teaching methods.