Disciplinary action may be taken after Police bungled attempts to deal with a man who committed suicide in the presence of an officer.

The man shot himself to death in front of a motorcycle cop with no crisis training.

Yesterday Police Commissioner Lennet (Lennie) Edwards said: "Discipline has not been ruled out.'' Mr. Edwards revealed Police botched the operation because of a "lack of communication''.

Officers on the scene had failed to communicate properly with the Police control room.

It meant a Police squad specially trained for handling hostage-type emergencies could not be contacted.

Mr. Edwards spoke after this week's inquest on Mr. Richard Hebberd, the son of a former Police inspector. Mr. Hebberd committed suicide at his Cavendish Heights home on August 27 last year.

Cycle squad officer P.c. Brian Robinson witnessed the shooting.

He told of an hour-long ordeal at Mr. Hebberd's home which ended with his friend sitting on a bar stool and pulling the trigger of a revolver.

The gun was just an inch from Mr. Hebberd's head.

Wednesday's hearing was told Police had no contingency plan for dealing with dangerous gunmen.

A Police report urged a contingency plan be put into place using the Emergency Response Team and specially-trained officers.

Coroner the Wor. John Judge ruled Mr. Hebberd committed suicide, and supported the Police recommendations.

Yesterday Mr. Edwards expressed sympathy for Mr. Hebberd's family.

As the son of a former inspector Mr. Hebberd was known to the Police.

Mr. Edwards said Police had a squad highly trained in arms and weaponry, set up to deal with "hostage-type situations''.

"Regrettably what happened was that the communication from the scene at that situation to the control room was not as good as it could have been.'' Mr. Edwards said "mid-management and senior officers'' were not aware of what was happening before it was too late.

And, therefore, the emergency team was not placed on stand-by.

Mr. Edwards added an inquiry had been launched by senior officers into the incident.