A review report on the Bermuda Police has found the Service is in dire need of improvement to its intelligence gathering, legal protection of witnesses and handling of informants. It aslo said Police buildings need urgent attention.

The report from the comprehensive UK inspection also notes that finding manpower is a difficulty for the Service and the Police Reserves “make the difference” in many instances.

Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Randy Horton and Police Commissioner Jonathon Smith held a press conference yesterday to discuss the findings of the report.

The Bermuda Police Service is inspected every three years, Mr. Horton said.

“The report sets out in some detail the Inspector's findings with respect to the operational, investigative, technical, administrative and support functions of the Bermuda Police Service.”

In the final report, Inspector, David Blakely made 11 specific recommendations and a number of other suggestions.

Government and the Police are working together to implement those recommendations, said Mr. Horton, and all 11 are considered a priority. “All will be on-going and dealt with at the same time.”

Mr. Horton answered a series of questions which were actually directed at Commissioner Smith.

When asked about a recommendation to increase the analytical capacity and intelligence policing within the force, Mr. Horton said additions have already been made to the financial investigations area of the force.

The Commissioner was asked whether or not the recommendation arose out of large financial investigations such as the ongoing investigation into the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

But Mr. Horton answered and denied the suggestion.

“As a financial jurisdiction, it is particularly incumbent for us as a Government to show we have the capacity to be able to deal with issues particularly in relation to white collar crime,” he said.

Legislation is being prepared to be tabled in the House of Assembly regarding a recommendation to give full and immediate protection to witnesses, Mr. Horton said.

He said there had be no visible rise in reprisals or threats to witnesses “but it is a concern”.

Mr. Horton said the Service hopes to “make significant progress” on capital works this year.

The report noted some of the Police buildings are in contravention of health and safety orders, in stark contrast to other Government buildings in Bermuda, and said this problem was “a matter of urgency”.

“We look forward to the planned improvements in our physical plant,” Mr. Smith said in a press statement. “This will have a significant impact on staff morale and productivity.”

Mr. Smith told The Royal Gazette the report held no surprises for him. “The recommendations are sound, the suggestions very reasonable, practicable and beneficial.

“Our job is to address those recommendations... and come out of the next inspection with demonstrated improvements.”

In the executive summary of the report, the Inspector discussed the shift within the Police Service to replace parish constables with community beat officers (CBOs).

While fully supportive, the report noted: “There appears to be a great deal of ambivalence within the service toward this role, and abstractions from the team are high, thus frustrating their purpose to a great extent.”

“That comment was valid,” said Mr. Smith.

When there is change within an organisation, he said, there is invariably tension, with some more receptive to the change than others.

However, even since May of 2003, when the inspection was conducted, perception of the role had improved and now virtually all the CBO positions are filled, he said.

“The key thing for me there is that the Inspector has given his wholehearted endorsement of the CBOs.”

TheCommissioner called process and findings “reassuring”, and said they “put us on firm footing for the continued development of our Service.

“I'm proud of the hard work and determination of the staff in the BPS,” he said.