Eleven Bermuda Police officers are being sent to the Cayman Islands today to reinforce officers there facing lawlessness and looting amidst destruction caused by Hurricane Ivan.

The 11 members of the Police Support Unit were expected to fly out at 7 a.m. this morning on an executive jet belonging to XL Capital. They will join a further 20 or so officers from the Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands already landed in the Cayman Islands.

With basic items scarce, they are taking their own food and water, and are not expected to return to Bermuda for at least a week.

The officers are being placed in the Caymans at the request of the British Foreign Office, Bermuda's deputy Governor Nick Carter told The Royal Gazette, yesterday.

Foreign Office advisor on Police and security for Overseas Territories Larry Covington, based in Miami, was ordered by the Foreign Office to get on the first plane to the Caymans after Ivan hit, Mr. Carter said. Ivan scored a near direct hit on the three Cayman Islands on Sunday, lashing the British Overseas Territory with winds reported at up to 200 mph.

Colonial Reinsurance had a plane travelling to the Island from Atlanta, and Mr. Covington was able to catch a ride on Wednesday, one of the first flights entering the islands. His report back to the Foreign Office showed that Royal Cayman Police, while doing a fantastic job, were "exhausted" and needed reinforcement, according to Mr. Carter.

As of Wednesday, at least authorities had imposed curfews in the Caymans as a result of looting on the islands.

Due to Mr. Covington's knowledge of Police forces in the area, he recommended sending officers from Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands. The Foreign Office passed on the request to the respective governors and about ten officers from each territory were dispatched to the Caymans.

Bermuda is sending ten officers to "do the job" as well as one to co-ordinate logistics such as where the officers will sleep, Mr. Carter said. It is uncertain how long they will be in the Caymans, though the Foreign Office has asked in the first instance for them to remain there at least one week.

The exercise is being funded by the Foreign Office, while XL Capital are providing an executive jet to transport the officers directly to the Caymans. Mr. Carter said other companies may also be involved.

As the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos are closer to the Caymans, officers from those countries are already there and helping out, Mr. Carter said. To his knowledge Bermuda has not received requests for Police reinforcements from Grenada, Jamaica and Cuba, also hard-hit by Hurricane Ivan. Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos, the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands are all British Overseas Territories.

At least two people died when Hurricane Ivan hit the Caymans. Most homes were damaged with around 20 percent "totally demolished", according to Caymanian leader McKeeva Bush.

"It's tremendous that Bermuda, as well as the Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands, are able to do this," Mr. Carter said.

With a total population of only about 45,000, 30 Police officers may be able to make a "disproportionate impact", in the islands, he said. "They are about to undertake a sort of adventure which will stand them well in their future."