Police chief Jean Jacques Lemay and the Police Association yesterday joined forces to plead sick-out officers to get back on the beat.

Mr. Lemay said: "I would appeal to these officers to discontinue the action which appears to be occurring.

"I appeal to the members' professionalism and commitment, which they have shown to the community in the past, to resolve these concerns and I hope they will be resolved soon.'' The officers staged the sick-out in protest at the dragging out of pay and conditions negotiations with Government.

But Mr. Lemay added that he wanted to reassure members of the public that the service to the community was not affected by the unofficial industrial action, already condemned as pointless by Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox.

He said the force had used "creative transfers and allocation of resources'' to supplement watches hit by the sick-out.

Mr. Lemay said 13 recruits due to finish training school today had already gone out on the beat, supported by teaching staff.

And he added CID officers had been used as back up for uniformed officers to cover manning shortfalls.

Mr. Lemay added that the Reserve Police and admin staff had also been called out to cover shift shortages.

He said: "We are in fact providing adequate resources to police the Island.'' But he stressed that -- of the 26 officers absent -- some were genuinely ill, while "one or two'' others were on compassionate leave. And Police Association chairman Mike Jackman distanced his organisation from the protest -- which involved a more than a quarter of the 100 strong dayshift team Islandwide yesterday.

He said: "We are unaware that any organised action has taken place -- it's certainly not been sanctioned by the Police Association.

"We can't support any action which has the potential to put members of the public at risk.'' Sgt Jackman added: "We are asking them if they would allow things to return to normal so we can continue to provide the level of service to the public which is expected.'' And he urged members of the Association to "have faith'' in the arbitration process.

members' frustration -- the Minister has assured us of her personal involvement in expediting the arbitration process.'' He admitted it was "disappointing'' that the force had been hit by industrial action as a new recruitment drive was underway.

But he said: "Things happen -- you deal with them and you get on with the next issue.

"We are committed to recruiting and to do everything possible to attract more Bermudians to the Police Service. That process is moving forward with enthusiasm.'' And Sgt. Jackman said: "This process will bring some resolution to the pay contract and we feel that the process, at the end of the day, will be a just process and a fair process. The BPA wants to encourage its members to have faith in the process.'' He added that he had been promised by Ms Cox that she would use her influence to have a binding arbitration decision issued well before the 90 day time limit allowed under the law.