The Police Force is open to new policing methods to combat domestic violence, Ch. Insp. Jonathan Smith told a conference on violence yesterday.

Noting the Force's role in assault complaints has been reactive, he said: "Is a more comprehensive and integrated approach needed? Sure it is. The impact of violence on this community will probably force the Bermuda Police to examine other methods of policing as the traditional methods have failed to address the root causes.'' However, Ch. Insp. Smith, speaking at a national conference on violence, entitled "Blow the Whistle on Violence'', stressed the Force's traditional investigative approach had met with success -- many violent offenders were behind bars.

Ch. Insp. Smith said preliminary 1994 crime figures indicated violent crime and assault reports would be at their highest levels ever.

Police officers attended 1,700 domestic fights last year, he said.

"We have many documented cases where seemingly innocuous domestic confrontations involved a man and woman have escalated -- with tragic results,'' he said. "Just three weeks ago, a Police officers responded to an assault report, attended and witnessed a murder taking place.'' He was referring to the Rochelle West killing. Her estranged husband has been charged with her murder.

"Gang-type violence'' was also on the rise, he noted.

"There are some in our community who have denied the existence of gangs.

Perhaps they are unwilling to equate their behaviour to that of their American counterparts,'' he said.

"But call them gangs, posses, crews or whatever you like -- they are here.

They are reasonably well-defined and will defend their members vigorously.

They will defend their drug territory -- often resorting to acts of violence to achieve their goals. They will commit violent crime as a group.'' A more comprehensive approach in combating gang violence was also needed, he said.

Ch. Insp. Smith said: "Bermuda has experienced nine murders in the past 14 months. That's more murders than occurred in a five-year span in the mid-1980s.

"Violent crime today is generally well above the levels of the mid-1980s and well over double the levels of the 1970s.

"And our crime figures indicate that an increasing percentage of these violent crimes are being committed by those under 21-years-old.'' Ch. Insp. Smith, who has spent 14 years doing criminal investigations, called the increase in robberies over the last six years "staggering'', going from an average of 20 a year in the 1980s to about 93 last year.

"We've also seen an increasing number of offenders under 21 responsible for these crimes,'' he said.

On the issue of illegal drugs, he said it was important not to forget that the connection between "one legal drug -- alcohol'' and violence was beyond dispute.

"About one third of violent offenders are alcoholic,'' he said.

On a bright note, he said the recent firearms amnesty and stiffer penalties for weapons possession seemed to have resulted in a reduction in the number of reported crimes involving guns.

However, Ch. Insp. Smith said: "What we are seeing has been building very steadily, and the 1994 crime statistics will reflect a consistent 25-year-long incline in the number of violent crime reports.'' This should not be interpreted as an indictment on the community's response, he said. But rather, "Are there alternate means in combating the problem?''