A special office on Court Street designed to give local people a place to bring its concerns about business and safety in the area is planned, the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation revealed tonight.

Donte Hunt, the BEDC’s micro, small and medium enterprise officer, told a North Hamilton residential committee meeting that the quango had its eye on an office at the junction of Court Street and Elliott Street to bring the BEDC “into the heart of the community”.

He added the office would also be used as a meeting spot for area residents to talk to Pc Christopher Douglas, who volunteered as the new full-time city constable.

Mr Hunt told the crowd of about 60 people at the Heritage Worship Centre on Dundonald Street: “An office in Northeast Hamilton is key – we have to have a presence to put action behind our talk.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police Martin Weekes said Pc Douglas “wanted to do this, and has been doing a great job”.

Mr Weekes added: “We hope to expand on this going forward.

“We are going to be partnering again with the Corporation of Hamilton in the North Hamilton area to provide extra foot patrols and they will be contributing some funds to that.”

He said small patrols of a couple of officers would walk the beat in the area at key times from this week.

Mr Weekes added the move was made “with a view to discouraging antisocial behaviour and calming some of the behaviour we see, and just reassuring people it’s a safe place to be”.

He said police were keen to “tackle the problems that the people in the neighbourhood want fixed”.

Mr Weekes added that targeted resources for specific problems had worked out well in areas such as Devil’s Hole and St George’s.

He advised the audience: “Talk to Pc Douglas and tell him what you want to achieve. You will be seeing police more.”

Dwayne Caines, the chief operating officer for the Corporation of Hamilton, said the aim was to deal with “little issues”.

He added: “We are not trying to over-police.”

Mr Caines said: “We are bringing an opportunity for people to get the policing in their community that allows them to live the lives they richly deserve.

“We got to this point because we were listening to the people who came to us.

“You can’t have effective business in area if people do not feel safe.”