Plans for a new Hamilton Police station have only just got off the drawing board, Public Safety Minister David Burch admitted yesterday as he refused to say when the $60-million project would begin.

The replacement for the crumbling building in Front Street has been promised for years with work originally due to start in 2003/04. Senator Burch said it was a difficult project but plans were progressing well.

He said: “No one in this country has ever built a building of this nature that requires certain specific features not necessary in a typical office building.

As such Government has deliberately not taken any cosmetic action — like evicting those who park there, dig a hole and then leave the site idle for months, just to convince the public we are making progress.”

He said Government would take a methodical and intelligent approach even if it attracted partisan criticism. Detailed drawings of the building on the Court Street/Victoria Street junction have been completed but required a review by a UK consultant charged with the implementation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

“This is a $60-million project and we are duty bound to ensure that all bases are covered in advance so that construction can eventually proceed expeditiously.”

Sen. Burch said there were many steps to go before work on the building, which will also include courts, could start — including drawing up and receiving bids and awarding the contract.

Asked when the project would start, Sen. Burch said: “I am not prepared to say. It’s really a matter for Works and Engineering.”

And the Minister revealed that Police will go back to the practice of recruiting untrained officers from overseas.

He said the force of 469 officers was 24 officers under-strength and that constant recruitment drives here and overseas were hampered by constant retirements and departures.

“Our ability to recruit overseas is being severely hampered by the lack of trained officers willing to work overseas. The traditional recruitment areas of both the UK and Caribbean have improved salaries and benefits and thus the attractiveness of overseas service has waned considerably.”

And Sen. Burch said the Commissioner had complaints from other countries about the poaching of their officers.

“Our Commissioner has recommended, and I have approved, the return to the concept employed several years ago of recruiting untrained officers from overseas.”

He said accommodation was available for them at the newly-renovated Southside Barracks.