army without returning gear worth thousands of dollars, Commanding Officer Lt.

Col. Allan Rance stressed yesterday.

Lt. Col. Rance was responding to complaints that during the past weekend Regiment Police used Draconian measures to round up men who had not returned belt buckles or boots to the Warwick Camp.

One source told The Royal Gazette at least five soldiers, who completed their three-year service in the Regiment last year, were picked up from various locations around the Island on June 6, handcuffed to an open Regiment truck, and taken to Warwick Camp where they were locked up for two days.

"I considered it to be a public flogging,'' the source said. "I don't think they were all picked up for the same thing, but they were minor things like a belt buckle or pair of boots.

"It's drastic measures and it turns Bermuda into a Police state when people are picked up, handcuffed to an open truck, and brought from all parts of the Island to the Regiment for a belt buckle.

"It's a situation that should never have come to pass. To lock someone up for a $150-pair of boots or a $50-belt is ridiculous.'' But Lt. Col. Rance said while the Regiment did not enjoy taking such action, it would be repeated if it was forced to go after delinquent soldiers.

"This is not done unless it becomes absolutely necessary,'' he said. "It is only done when individuals have completely ignored or chosen to act otherwise in returning kit or coming in to settle a debt they have to the Bermuda Regiment. We have a duty to clear this.'' Lt. Col. Rance could not say how many soldiers were picked up over the weekend. But he said each had about $1,000-worth of kit and equipment loaned to him or her and budgetary constraints did not allow the Regiment to replace the items.

He noted that on certain occasions, soldiers who had been very delinquent had been locked up for a couple of days until a method of getting the gear back or money in compensation had been worked out.

"Just a very small minority of people fall into this category,'' he added.

"But unfortunately, it is something we have to do.'' He said soldiers were only handcuffed, as was the case with two men on Saturday, if they attempted to escape from Regiment Police.

The Regiment had made every effort to improve its system of collecting outstanding property or money, Lt. Col. Rance stressed.

"It's been cleared up considerably,'' he said. "At one point we had over $50,000 worth of equipment and kit outstanding.'' Lt. Col. Rance explained that those who completed their three-year service in the Regiment were still considered members until a 1157 Form, which lists their duties including returning gear, is cleared.

He said from their first day in the Regiment, this was explained to soldiers.

And they were constantly reminded of this duty during and after their service.

A verbal warning seemed to be enough for 95 percent of the soldiers, Lt. Col.

Rance noted, but it was the remaining five percent who caused "administration headaches''.

"We have people from all walks of life in the Regiment,'' he said. "Some people for one reason or another do not comply. We're left with no choice but to go after them.

"If we didn't do this, we would have on paper a Regiment three times the size it should be. We have an administration log jam.'' Lt. Col. Rance could not give an estimate for the amount of outstanding equipment missing. But he said: "There are a lot of people walking around the streets with a lot of bits and pieces of Bermuda Regiment kit.''