Being a Police officer in a modern-day Bermuda means more than high-speed chases and handcuffing culprits. Instead, as one new recruit explains, it's about taking the challenge to lead others.

Last month, Bermudian Kenten Trott, 21, who comes from St. David's, completed a four-month crash course, along with 12 others, that is required to transition one from civilian to Police officer.

Having completed the Bermuda Police Service's 69th recruit foundation course, Pc Trott reflected on why he decided to join one of the most hated professions in Bermuda, if not the world.

"It's all about getting adjusted to not being a civilian anymore," Pc Trott explains. "From the minute you put on the uniform you are a Police officer and people don't see it any other way.

"It doesn't matter if you've just started as an officer or been one for a week – people don't know that and since you're in the public eye you're held to a higher standard."

He illustrated just how demanding the job can be, especially where it comes to knowing Bermuda's laws, specifically, the criminal code, its harder than most would think, he emphasised. "As a Police officer you have to know a lot of the laws by hand. A lawyer awaiting a trial has time to look at the law books, whereas an officer has to know a good portion of the laws by heart."

Before making the transition, Mr. Trott was a graduate of the Berkeley Institute and worked at the Elbow Beach Hotel as a front desk clerk. The St. George's resident said he had always been an "A" student, as wells as an honours student, which he worked hard to maintain.

Looking at his past both as a youth and as a pupil, his family and friends remember him as being a natural leader, who strived to be above the realm of mediocrity. While in high school, he was involved in the Young Enterprise youth programme, a volunteer at the Sunshine League children's home and a Leader in Training in the Radnor Road Christian Fellowship.

His hobbies include playing drums, repairing motorcycles, playing computer games, soccer, basketball and cricket. "Kenten was always a good big brother to my younger son Desmond Kenhai Trott," reflected his mother, Kennita Allchin, who was overwhelmed with pride when speaking to The Royal Gazette.

"And he always looked out for his mommy, even though he was young. He has always been a natural leader, and all his teachers always said that as well.

"Kenten even used to help out the teachers at Summer Day Camp. He looked out for the younger children and was a Leader in Training at Radnor Road Christian Fellowship under Pastor Daron Lowe, a youth ministry for 13 to 19-year-olds."

After noticing the anti-Police mentality, which is increasing within the community, it served as a catalyst to join the blue line and show people the good side of Policing.

According to Research.bm, which conducted a survey on the Bermuda Police Service earlier this year, only 34 percent of those polled had faith in the Police to solve and reduce crime.

Even more disturbing, it showed that just 25 percent of those in the 18 to 34 bracket had confidence in the Service. However, this rose to 55 percent in the 65-plus category.

"I joined because of the fact that so many people are anti-police and so many people have lots of view points and opinions of what the Police Service is," he added.

"And my goal is to show people otherwise. As officers, we're individuals just like them and our goal and aim to make a difference in our community.

"We're here to help them, not harm them. My goal is to show them that we are people too and we are here to help."

Growing up in Bermuda, its often said that becoming a Police officer unfortunately results in the loss of friends, who see the person as part of "the man" – the enemy. However, Pc Trott said he has not had that experience as his friends have fully supported him, "They were my friends before I became a Police officer and they're my friends after – I'm the same person," he retorted.

At the end of his Recruit Foundation Course (RFC) Kenten graduated with the baton of honour award, a bestowment on the most athletic, in additional to and not surprisingly, a leadership award.

And if you think this annual course, held at the Police training school in Prospect, is a cake walk, think again.

Intensive physical training, officer safety instructions on the use of Police Handcuffs, the ASP extendable baton and CS spray, is a fraction of the complexity.

Academically, the course requires one to learn the basics of Bermuda's criminal laws, specifically as it relates to an officer's power of arrest; a summary offence vs. a felony one, for example. "We have to take something called the KEY exams, knowledge-based exercises that test your knowledge of the law," Pc Trott detailed.

"Basically it's cut in half, with one being multiple choice and the other being true vs. false.

"This is probably one of the most challenging to most people because you have to retain everything in your head.

"It's one thing to be able to apply it but to know the laws and the difference between what you must do between each offence is probably the most difficult part of it. It takes a lot of hours of studying. Sometimes I was up at four O'clock in the morning studying, preparing for my exams, just so I made sure that I knew the offences and procedures."

As a teenager, Kenten always planned to study law or enter into the world of business. Nevertheless, as long as he's allowed to, he plans to rise to the top of Bermuda Policing.

"One of my philosophies is to shoot for the moon and even if you miss you'll end up in the stars," he envisioned. "My goal is to become Commissioner of Police. I know it will take hard work and dedication, but I will try."

According to the Bermuda Police Service, last year there were five serious assaults on officers, down from nine in 2003. And for the first half of this year there have been three.

Asked if the violent trend gave him any trepidation about the job, Pc Trott left any possible fate to a higher power.

"My faith and my hope is in God so I believe that God protects me and he will strengthen me and never lead me into anything that I cannot come out of," he responded.

"My family, my girlfriend, probably are more afraid of my job than I ever could be. I don't have any fear because I believe if you give respect you'll get respect and it all depends on how you deal with the situation."