Country's future, retiring Deputy Police Commissioner Michael Mylod believes.

Mr. Mylod is due to leave the Island next Tuesday after serving 18 months of his two year contract.

Yesterday he admitted he was stung by the vitriol surrounding his appointment and hoped his successor would receive a warmer welcome.

He also said the Police Service was heading in the right direction and that his and Colin Coxall's appointment enabled an infusion of new ideas.

"The Force was confused when I arrived. It had lost a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner in very rapid succession.

"I felt it was confused by the tremendous political furore that was going on and it rapidly needed some leadership,'' said Mr. Mylod.

Changes in the Service were necessary -- although he said that was not a criticism of previous management -- and that the time was right to have an infusion of fresh ideas.

"The Service is going the right way. Crime figures are notoriously fickle but Mylod set to leave way. The overall trend is down.'' When he arrived in Bermuda he said the biggest job was to implement some of the recommendations made in the Tumin report which criticised some aspects of the Service.

"We now have a dialogue with the personnel departments and Bermuda College that never existed before.

"We have a much more effective recruitment system. My policy has always been to get the very best in Bermuda to join the Bermuda Police Service. That is where the future leaders must come from.'' Overall he believes the Service now has a clear focus and strategy with a successful civilianisation programme achieved with less upheaval than anticipated.

There was also now a constructive dialogue with the Police Association, a clearer promotion process and better training.

Of the future Mr. Mylod said: "There are enormous stresses in Bermuda society and I think I can see problems developing over the next few years.

"I think this Country has to come to terms with drug abuse because if it does not I think the problem will damage the Country. There has to be a national approach and I do not see that emerging yet.'' Before he arrived he got wind of the controversy surrounding his appointment, but yesterday admitted to still being taken aback by the reception.

"It would be foolish to say otherwise. To this day I cannot understand why it was so personal and so vitriolic because I was always going to be here for a short time and so was the Commissioner.

"At the beginning I said that it was never my desire or intention to take a job from a Bermudian. I was not in that business.

"I was taken aback and I think it was an entirely unneccessary exercise. I have never responded publicly and there were some wickedly inaccurate things said at the beginning and there was no question that the people who said them knew they were inaccurate.'' A Policeman for almost 40 years, he will retire from the Service when he leaves Bermuda.

"I shall tell all my grandchildren that Bermuda was a fascinating experience.

It was one that quite literally came out of the blue. It finished my Police career on a note that is given to very few British Police officers.

"Certainly it has been an intense learning experience for me and I have learnt as much about myself as I have about the Bermuda Police.''