The new West Indian recruits on the latest Police orientation course could be forgiven for their culture shock ? nobody had shot at them yet.

Dodging bullets has become an occupational hazard back in their native islands.

When paid the recruits a visit at the training quarters at Prospect yesterday four stuck up their hands when asked if they had been shot at.

P.c. O'Neil Swaby, from Clarendon, Jamaica, said he had been the target of bullets while investigation a robbery.

"They got pretty close," he said with some understatement.

But while gun fire is a rarity for the six British recruits on the 13-person localisation course both camps are amazed at Bermuda's own daily danger ? mad motorists.

P.c. Julia Rutland, from Gloucester in the west of England, said: "I am surprised by the number of road fatalities for such a small Island.

She said: "I have been in the force for 13 years including working in the traffic division dealing with motorists and in all that time I have never anything quite so scary."

P.c. Albert Williams, from Jamaica, agreed.

He said: "People are taking a lot of risks when we were out this morning doing traffic stuff."

But generally he said the welcome from colleagues and strangers had been very warm during the six week induction which is drawing to an end.

"People are saying good morning, in the Caribbean people just pass by."

Insp. Darrin Simons, head of the Training Division, said the recruits, who vary in age from 27 to 49, brought a lot of experience with them.

P.c. Rutland has worked as a Police trainer and will prove useful in help the Bermuda Service get to grips with audio taping of the interviewing of suspects which is being phased in.

However in the meantime some of the British recruits will have to learn the old fashioned way of taking notes.

And Bermuda's antiquated way of doing things wasn't lost on one West Indian recruit who called for the updating of the Criminal Code after noting the bad guys were moving with the times.