Police presence on the streets. Visibility is a very important deterrent.

Commissioner Lennett Edwards has said that the Police Force must be much more visible and not just in fast moving cars.

There is a public perception, which may be wrong, that Police efforts are concentrated in four places, Headquarters at Prospect, Parliament Street in Hamilton and at the two ends of the Island, St. George's and Somerset. It may well be that three of those were once dense centres where crime was concentrated but today there are other high crime areas which demand a Police presence. Patterns have changed and population has shifted. There was a time when there was very little crime in the "country'' areas but Bermuda no longer has "country'' areas. Mr. Edwards is really suggesting putting his men where the problems are and we entirely agree with that. Too often in Bermuda we stick with outmoded patterns from habit.

Crime, much of it resulting from drugs, has had a very destructive impact on the quality of life in some areas of Bermuda. A permanent Police presence in those areas could well lead to an immediate improvement. We think that the very presence of the Police and their normal comings and goings are a deterrent to criminal activity. We understand that no country can have a Police presence in every area but there are readily available statistics on high crime areas.

Mr. Edwards has suggested that we should have Police stations in some of the derelict buildings in various areas of Bermuda. We are not sure that it is necessary to use derelict buildings. As an example, it might well be possible for the Police to share the parish post offices in a very effective way. Mr.

Edwards has suggested a station in the north part of Hamilton and we see no reason for not locating the main Hamilton station in the northern part of the City.

It is true that many people think that Police concentration in different areas simply moves the crime to a new area. Then move with the crime. But it may, of course, result in perpetrators being much more careful and much less public.

At least it puts people on warning that the Police are active and present and that they are aware of activities in the area.

Visibility is important. To that end we think that all officers, with the notable exception of those who must be anonymous, should be in uniform on duty and on their way to and from duty.

Safety in homes and hotels and on the streets is one of the most wonderful things about Bermuda. Clearly Mr. Edwards recognises that. We can only hope that the apparent increase in crime following Police budget cuts is apparent to Government and that another time the Police budget will be cut last. We are not advocating Police waste but we are advocating good policing to keep Bermuda safe.

Commissioner Edwards says the job of the Police is not easy and he thinks Bermuda's Police do well. We agree. We also think they need more co-operation from the public so that they can do better and we think they deserve more appreciation. By and large Bermuda is blessed with an honest and reliable Police Force and not every country can say that.