Barriers between the community and the Police are gradually being eroded away -- in part due to the success of a team of school liaison officers.

Sergeant Martin Weekes leads a team of five officers who visit schools every week to educate students on the rights and wrongs, but, most importantly, to be their friend.

He and four of the REACH (Resistance Education and Community Help) officers, including one woman officer, have a set `family' of middle and primary schools to attend every few days.

However, they all play roles in the secondary schools and the private schools.

But there is also PC Rodney Trott, the Police's drug prevention officer, whose job it is to educate children on the downfalls of drug abuse.

Their role is vital in helping students to develop into good citizens, and in breaking down the walls between the Police and the community.

And in primary schools in particular, where male teachers are scarce, these officers play an even wider role as they are often the only male influences in the lives of some pupils.

Shadowing PC Grant Tompkins on his visits of the Whitney family of schools yesterday, it was evident that the children absolutely love him.

As he strode through the corridors, cries of "It's PC Tompkins'' could be heard coming out of classrooms, while some young boys just raised their hand with the officer to high five with him.

Even in the secondary schools, where you could expect the reception to be a little more frosty, as students changed lessons yesterday they mingled and chatted with the officer.

This, he said was a far cry from how it was when the REACH programme first started out five years ago, when the officers used to face verbal abuse.

However, yesterday it was clear that not only were the officers able to deliver valuable messages to Bermuda's children, but the students actually looked forward to their visits and wanted to listen.

"What we do is not about fighting crime or fighting what the kids are doing, but instead forming relationships with them and pointing them in the right direction,'' said PC Tompkins.

"What we do is build self-esteem in pupils, encourage them to respect each other, and take life issues and work with them to explain how the students can best deal with them.

"It is not for us to really come down hard on the pupils if we think they have done something wrong, or are maybe involved in something they should not be. That is the job of officers outside of the REACH programme. Our job is to work with the pupils and support the pupils.

"But I think one of the biggest differences to come from the programme is that the students now have officers they know, who they can talk to and can learn from. They can see that Police officers are not bad and just out to get them -- they are also there to help.'' "Every child at school in Bermuda should now know at least one Police officer.'' In one day, the officers could be dealing with four and five year-olds, teenagers at middle school, and students preparing to graduate.

However, they have skills that enable them to relate to each age range, hold their attention, and to know what issues they should be dealing with.

If principals believe a particular topic needs addressing, then he or she can ask the officer at her school if he could incorporate it into his session.

In primary and middle schools they have set programmes to work through that fall in line with the curriculum and were put together with the assistance and expertise from the Ministry of Education.

It could be bullying, drugs, sex abuse, friendship, or graffiti, to name a few.

However, a programme has not yet been drawn up for the Government secondary schools, CedarBridge Academy and Berkeley Institute, although there are ten officers, including the REACH officers, who go into the schools to read with individual pupils every week.

And the officers only attend the private schools to address certain issues when they are asked by the headteachers, although PC Tompkins said they would like to be able to incorporate their full agenda in all schools.

Yesterday, PC Tompkins went to Harrington Sound Primary School to talk with five-year-olds in P2 about how special each of them were.

They had their fingerprints taken and then translated onto a card with their photograph, to prove their uniqueness, and, were then told about the difference between good touch and bad touch.

A story read by the officer explained how important it was to hug and show affection, but also how people must always feel comfortable with the way they are being touched, or inform someone in authority.

In the middle schools, the REACH officers deliver a programme imported from the US entitled Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT), which focuses on how to avoid getting involved with gangs and violence.

Beverley Daniels, Principal of Harrington Sound Primary, said the officers brought something to her school that she and the staff could not.

But she said their services were so viable, more REACH officers should be provided around the Island.

She said: "I think it's great to cultivate a positive attitude towards the Police -- getting them used to authority from an early age. The children really enjoy having PC Tompkins around.

"The Police officers are able to bring a different perspective to issues when they are talking to the students than teachers can.

"But also it's really good to have a man around the school, particularly in primary schools where there are mostly women.'' And Principal of Whitney Institute Gail Graham also praised their efforts, saying more officers should be invested into the programme.

She said: "I consider PC Tompkins a member of the staff.

"But he just does not come and do his sessions at the school. He is involved in rugby events and outward bound trips, again having a very positive effect.

"The REACH programme shows pupils that Police officers are real people and that they can be approached, but it also teaches them there are consequences for poor behaviour and makes them respect the law. It certainly brings the Police and the students closer together.''