Police are winning the battle against Bermuda's spiralling crime rate as a shake-up of the Force begins to take effect, new figures show.

During the first three months of this year crime jumped by 41 percent, compared to the same time last year. But figures released yesterday show crime for the six months since April 1 fell by 13 percent, compared with the same time last year, as the upward trend slows.

Yesterday, Home Affairs Minister, the Hon. Quinton Edness, said the figures were extremely encouraging although much work still needed to be done.

"These figures indicate that crime is decreasing. It is too early to say that this is the beginning of a sustained downward trend, but it is an encouraging sign,'' he said.

Figures released by the Government show burglary fell by 35 percent, handbag snatches by 52 percent, crimes against people, such as murder, by 12 percent and crimes against property, such as arson, by 15 percent. On the downside, Police admit that robberies, cycle thefts and drugs crime have all increased during the six months from April, when the new Commissioner Mr. Colin Coxall took over the reins of the Service.

"An overall drop in crime by 13 percent is very good news,'' added Mr.

Edness. "I think Bermudians can take it as an indication that new Police Service strategies and a growing public intolerance for crime are having an effect.'' Earlier this year, Mr. Coxall unveiled his strategy for shaking up the Police Service to get the upper hand on criminals.

Mr. Edness said already Police complaints procedures had been rewritten, the Police training programme revamped and the Service had begun a series of secondments, sending local Police officers abroad, to broaden knowledge.

Management experts from the Government's Management Services Department and European consultants Peat Marwick were also at work designing action plans for the 112 objectives laid out in Mr. Coxall's plan.

The aim of civilianising about 80 Police posts was also taking shape and Mr.

Edness said he expected 10 Police posts to be civilianised by the end of the year, with the entire process spread over five years. "This will translate directly into getting more Police officers on the streets, which the public will know is a priority for the Service, and also put more men into the narcotics unit, another priority.'' Work was also continuing on up-grading Hamilton Police station, said Mr.

Edness, and work was about to begin on Somerset Police station -- described by Mr. Coxall when he arrived as one of the worst he had seen. In addition, new public order equipment had been ordered to replace existing stock of "very old and outdated gear'' and would be tested this week in a major exercise with the Regiment.

"I believe this progress is having a good effect on the morale of the Police Service,'' added Mr. Edness. "The younger officers, in particular, are finding it a much more exciting place to work than before and are responding very well to the changes being made.

"All in all, I believe the re-organisation of the Police Service is working well and is having exactly the effect it was intended to have when we took the difficult decision to bring in a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner to give us a fresh look at policing in Bermuda.''