three uniformed officers.

The news came from an anonymous source who said Police Service human resources manager Suzanne Edmead was heading up a civilian department with Police officers as staff.

Mrs. Edmead's post was the first to be filled by a civilian under Police Commissioner Colin Coxall's plan which aimed at freeing up some 80 officers to put them back on the beat.

But Police spokeswoman Evelyn James-Barnett said the three uniformed officers assigned under Mrs. Edmead's department were there on a temporary basis only.

One of the officers, a uniformed Inspector, is attached to the human resources department as a temporary career development officer, she continued.

This would become a permanent post eventually and would be filled by a uniformed officer.

There was also a uniformed Sergeant attached to the department, said Mrs.

James-Barnett, and he was also there temporarily to help with career development.

Meanwhile the third officer was assisting the civilianisation process and was writing job descriptions for the posts due to be civilianised.

This officer was scheduled to be completed by January, she said.

Turning to the career development positions, Mrs. James Barnett said these were new positions that would come under their own office and would assist in the development of Police officers' careers.