Bermuda's future Police Commissioners could be chosen by a special committee independent of Government and the Governor, Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness said yesterday.

He explained: "An independent body could be set up and a method for selecting a Commissioner of Police found.'' Mr. Edness added: "It would be an independent entity which would be responsible for the Police -- I don't think the direct responsibility should be in the hands of a Government Minister.'' Mr. Edness was speaking just after he and Acting Premier Jerome Dill unveiled the terms of submissions to the UK Government as part of a wide-ranging look at Britain's relations with its Dependent Territories.

Selection of the Commissioner of Police currently rests with the Governor under Bermuda's Constitution, although he is obliged to consult the Public Service Commission.

The Royal Gazette revealed last November that Premier Pamela Gordon had floated the idea of total Bermudian control over the Police Service and a Bermudian Governor in preliminary submissions after the announcement of the review by UK Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.

She stressed the ideas were just "trial balloons'' despite claims that weakening the power of the Governor or replacing the UK appointment with an Islander could be viewed as Independence through the back door.

And she insisted total on-Island control of the Police had not been brought up amid controversy surrounding the resignation of imported English Police Commissioner Colin Coxall.

Neither idea is contained in "comments and observations'' on the review released yesterday.

But the Government release said: "The views...are neither definitive or exhaustive and are to be regarded as preliminary views which form the basis for future, more detailed, discussions with Her Majesty's Government.

"It is anticipated that other topics will be considered along with those mentioned in this memorandum.'' Mr. Edness said a new single-purpose body would be preferable to using the existing Public Service Commission.

He said: "I wouldn't think the PSC would necessarily be the appropriate place, but I think it has to be a committee with certain statutory powers to be able to be responsible.'' Mr. Edness added: "It's not one of our conditions -- it's something which may come up in our discussions, but we haven't put it forward as something we would like to discuss at this time.

"This is not a matter that we feel would be necessarily discussed in this new relationship which is being sought between the Dependent Territories and Britain.

"But it could come up and if it did, we would want to ensure that there would be a system whereby political interference could not affect the operations of the Police.'' Mr. Edness, however, insisted: "We have a situation which presently works well in our present status with the Governor being responsible and with the protections in the Constitution which are in place.

"If we get involved in talking about changing the responsibilities for the Police, we get equally involved in some Constitutional matters.'' Deputy Governor Peter Willis was staying tight-lipped on how a change in the Constitutional position of the Governor might be received at Government House.

He said: "As you would expect, the British Government would, of course, give due consideration to any proposal formulated by the Government of Bermuda.''