New Police Commissioner George Jackson yesterday hit back at suggestions that his officers are not ready to cope with the sweeping changes heralded by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

The new legislation is set to modernise the way officers stop and search people, and arrest and detain suspects.

It will also change the processes of questioning and evidence gathering, as well as the admissibility of evidence in court.

Speaking during a debate on the Act in Parliament on Monday, UBP House leader and party whip John Barritt, , said: ?I?m concerned that our Police force is not up to the task. We need to bring the level of quality in our Police force up. We are not in the days of P.c. Plod any more and we need people who are skilled.?

Wayne Perinchief, Minister of National Drug Control and a former senior Police officer, said he believed that raw recruits who have not had time to learn bad habits will find adapting to PACE easier than older officers who will have to ?change their stripes? unless they are to be considered ?dangerous dinosaurs.? However, Mr. Jackson said: ?We are ready for the implementation of PACE when that arises. As with any legislative changes we will make sure that we have the capabilities and everything in place to deal with it.?