beat, Bermuda's new chief Policeman said last night.

Mr. Colin Coxall, the new Police Commissioner, also said there were 50 percent too many senior officers and the Service was more than 50 men under strength saying before he arrived he had heard reports of low morale.

He said a "fair bit'' of the force's annual $26 million budget was wasted and that detectives spend as much as 85 percent of their time clearing up paperwork.

Mr. Coxall was speaking at his first parish meeting, coming face-to-face with Warwick residents speaking of their concerns over crime in the area, particularly in relation to drugs.

Warwick has 17 percent of the Island's population and suffers from 15 percent of Bermuda's crime.

At the start of the meeting, Mr. Coxall ,who has been on the Island for ten weeks, told the audience about his plans for shaping the future of the Police Service.

He has finished his new Policing strategy and hopes to present it to Ministers, in draft form, within the next two or three days.

One of his top priorities, he said, was to civilianise more of the Service, getting his officers from behind desks and putting them back on the beat to give a higher profile and help fight crime at the sharp-end.

"We have an enormous number of Police officers wrapped up flying desks,'' he said. "There is only one place for an officer and that is out in the community.

"There is also a very high proportion of senior officers, 50 percent more than I would expect to find. We will have to slim down the hierarchial structure and deliver the service onto the streets,'' he added.

It is believed that between 25 and 30 officers could be replaced by civilians and re-trained in each of the three years of Mr. Coxall's appointment.

Mr. Coxall added: "Reports I heard before I was appointed indicated a low morale which has resulted in a very high wastage rate within the Police service and I hope to address that.'' There was also a pressing need for training for Police officers, which he said over the years had been allowed to lapse "which is the kiss of death for any organisation''.

Mr. Coxall's strategy, when it is released, will focus on all areas of crime on the Island as well as the number of road accidents and road safety. Police will also try and work hand in hand with other agencies, such as the National Drugs Commission, in a multi-pronged approach to tackling drugs, the "all-embracing, all-pervading problem''.

A criminal intelligence department will be established, greater emphasis will be placed on crime prevention which is in its "infancy'', the "Victorian'' complaints system will also be updated and the problems of Police buildings will be addressed.

"Somerset Police Station must be one of the worst Police stations I have ever walked into. We will be extending that Police station, likewise with St.

George's and Hamilton,'' said Mr. Coxall.

"The Police Service costs $26 million a year and a fair bit of that is wasted. I intend to divert that money into more productive areas for the benefit of the Island.

"Civilianisation will free up officers and I would hope all those officers could be parish constables or help the drugs problem. More officers on the beat, more officers investigating drug problems and crime prevention.''