The new Police media relations chief wants the public to accept and support the policy of community policing.

And she said: "I want to give the public all the accurate facts so they can make their own choices and decisions without being distracted by the people with the loudest voices.'' Ex-television presenter and producer Evelyn James-Barnett spoke to The Royal Gazette yesterday, eight days after taking over the new civilian post of head of Media Relations in the Police Service.

She said her primary objective was helping establish strong community policing -- the cornerstone of the Police Service Strategy -- and forging good relationships among the Police, the media and the public.

Ms James-Barnett stressed the majority of Bermudians supported the Police and believed the service merited that support.

However, "a few, inaccurate, loud voices have commandeered the public's attention away from the job they have been doing,'' she said.

She said it was important to keep the community in the know and she would be regularly reporting information as the Police got the public refocussed on the job they were doing.

This would hopefully "galvanise'' the people's support and "shore up the confidence they already have in us''.

Ms James-Barnett worked with the Bermuda Broadcasting Corporation for about ten years before deciding it was time for a change.

She said she felt she had come to the end of the line in her broadcasting career and it was time to move on and challenge herself further.

She moved into the new civilian position in the Police Service on October 1.

Civilianising the post, said Ms James-Barnett, has added a new level of accountability to the department as it now reported directly to the Deputy Commissioner instead of having to go through the chain of command.

Since joining the service in the new post, Ms James-Barnett said she had received a six-day orientation during which she met with all the departments that made up the service.

Officers in these areas had voiced their respective concerns they would like to see addressed and had been entirely supportive of her.

On the whole, she continued, these officers had seen the changes and were encouraged by what was taking place -- including her hiring.

With her background in the media, said Ms James Barnett, she was able to provide a different view of what the Police were doing that officers might not be able to see and help reinforce the bridge to the public.

Evelyn James-Barnett