Police have turned down a fitness instructor and community activist's application to join their reserve ranks due to her age.

Fifty-year-old Corrinne Swan told The Royal Gazette she was shocked and disappointed that after weeks of preparation for the volunteer post, she was denied the job because the maximum age for female reserve officers was 45 years.

Mrs. Swan pointed out that there was nothing in the Bermuda Police Reserve literature informing applicants of such a requirement.

"All of the literature states 60 as the maximum age,'' she noted. "And recruitment officers were on the radio saying they took people up to the age of 60 years old. That's why I applied.

"Even in a video which was made this year for recruitment there is no mention of this.'' Explaining that she provided her date of birth on her application form, Mrs.

Swan stressed that Police had ample time to inform her of the age requirement.

"I opened my entire life to them,'' she said, recalling the intimate questions she was required to answer. "They have all my personal business.

They interviewed me three times.'' In her second interview, Mrs. Swan said she was asked if there was anything she believed she could bring to the job.

A counsellor for the bereaved, she stressed the importance of such a skill to an officer.

"Police often have to deal with traumatic cases,'' she noted.

The certified training instructor and body builder also offered to hold physical fitness classes for the reserve officers.

She said after the interviews, several officers told her they would have no hesitation in hiring her. She said she was also told that she was the only applicant to write about how she could help Bermuda's youngsters.

"While most people wrote about why they felt they should be chosen as a Police Reserve, I wrote an essay on how I would handle the problems they're having with young people because that's what Police Reserves will have to deal with,'' Mrs. Swan said. "They were impressed with the essay.'' In fact, she said, last month she was informed by Deputy Commandant Calvin Hollis that she had been accepted and was to receive a formal letter of confirmation.

But two weeks later she was contacted by Ch. Insp. Vendal Bridgeman who informed her that they could not take her on, but could "use'' her to train the reserves.

In a letter dated March 26, Ch. Insp. Bridgeman said: "I would very much appreciate the opportunity of meeting with you at your convenience to explore ways in which you can further serve the community or be of assistance to the Reserve Police.'' Mrs. Swan said she was bewildered by such a comment.

"I was offering my services to these people and then they have the nerve to say you can't join, but we can use you to train Police reserves,'' she stressed.

"I've done motivational workshops for the Brangman Home for girls, for the halfway home for juvenile boys, for the Department of Labour and Training, and for exempted companies and these people cannot use me?'' And after having two letters which she fired off to Commissioner Colin Coxall on the matter unanswered, she said: "I feel terrible because I poured out my heart and soul. The Commissioner should have at least answered my letters.'' And while Police spokesperson Evelyn James Barnett issued an apology on behalf of the Police Service and Police Reserves to Mrs. Swan, she said those in charge of the Reserves were only following the law.

The 1951 Reserve Constabulary Regulations specified that male reserve officers must be between 23 and 60, while females must be between 23 and 45 years of age.

Mrs. James Barnett said in a prepared statement: "The Executive of the Police Reserves were concerned about the element of gender discrimination that was evident in the current Reserve Constabulary Regulations 1951.

"The issue is under review by the Commissioner of Police. However, until the regulations are amended accordingly, we regret that those applications from females who are over 45 years cannot be considered at this time.

"The Bermuda Police Service and the Bermuda Reserves are making every effort to address those issues that would make us appear to be anything other than equal opportunity employers, and, sincerely apologise for any undue and unnecessary hardship caused to Mrs. Swan as a result of this unfortunate experience.'' NO LIMITS -- Fitness instructor Corrinne Swan works out regularly at the Olympic Club.

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