The convoy of six Police vehicles rolled out into the night — 17 officers ready to fulfil their brief: to reclaim the streets from the criminals.

Criss-crossing the Island during the all-night operation on Saturday they were part of Operation Safer Streets, a crackdown on law-breakers launched following the shooting murder of Aquil Richardson.

The first arrest was a man stopped on Roberts Avenue, who was wanted in connection with an alleged theft. He was riding an unlicensed bike which was impounded.

A second man was stopped in the same area on suspicion that a warrant was out for him, but he was cleared after a computer check.

Several people were searched outside Swinging Doors nightclub in Court Street, with two arrested for using offensive words and obstructing Police. A small amount of cannabis was found inside the Spinning Wheel nightclub further down the street.

A vehicle was stopped on Palmetto Road while officers checked out suspicions that a warrant was out for the driver. The check was negative and he went on his way.

Moving on to Devonshire Recreation Club, several men were searched near the Palmetto Road gate. Another was arrested on the playing field for unpaid fines. Rokki the sniffer dog found small amounts of cannabis and crack cocaine in the area — thought to have been dropped by a dealer smart enough not to keep them on his person.

"He'll have been selling that for someone and will have to face the consequences with his dealer," observed Chief Insp. Anthony Mouchette.

Another arrest was made near Hamilton Parish Workman's Club, when officers detained a man on suspicion of drug possession.

Speaking as the first batch of prisoners was taken to Hamilton Police Station and the convoy rolled on east, Chief Insp. Mouchette — a 27-year Police veteran — said trouble spots are noticeably quieter as word of the crackdown spreads.

"Right now there appears to be a little bit of a lack of respect for the Police officer, but we want to slowly take the streets back," he pledged.

Operation Safer Streets has been facilitated by a merger between Bermuda's three Police divisions. They used to send separate community action teams to trouble spots on an ad-hoc basis, directed by three different commanders. Now, they all fall under the command of Chief Insp. Mouchette, who is coordinating the Island-wide sweep.

Shift patterns have been changed to keep up the show of strength, with extra officers drafted in from units including the Marine Police and the Crime Prevention Unit. They are paying particular attention to trouble spots such as Deepdale, St. Monica's Road (aka 42nd Street), Ord Road and Camp Hill — places officers acknowledge criminals have grown comfortable frequenting.

Chief Insp. Mouchette warned that members of the wider public will also find themselves targeted, with minor offences as well as major falling under the operation's spotlight.

"This is part of the plan of returning the Island to the state where we obey laws. It's clear there's been ignorance to the basic rules of the road — speeding, running stop signs. We're having trouble looking through the car windows because the tint is so thick. Our intent is to stop all this nonsense going on.

"People seem to be ignorant to the fact that the law is the law," he said. "We're asking the public to be more considerate. They've been asking for more robust policing and this will bring respect for the law back to where we want it to be."