Government is to merge the Defence Department into the Bermuda Regiment and have staff report to the Commanding Officer, Public Safety Minister David Burch revealed yesterday.

The move will allow economies of scale and the Commanding Officer to manage his department.

Sen. Burch added: "Through reassigning of current staff the management of this area is fully under Regiment command."

And the Minister revealed that Bermuda has created a national security plan to assess current threats to the Island which is being circulated among heads of Police, Fire and the Regiment prior to sign off.