revealed yesterday.

Officers have put on a show of strength at recent fixtures -- and tonight senior Police will meet soccer chiefs in a bid to coordinate a complete crackdown.

Bermuda Football Association chairman Neville Tyrell said: "We will be having a meeting with Police -- and I would imagine that would be one of the things we would discuss.'' Last Friday, Acting Police Commissioner Jean-Jaques Lemay joined his troops -- including the special roving task force -- at a Devonshire Rec fixture between Devonshire Cougars and Somerset for a Police show of strength.

Mr. Tyrell said: "We are certainly concerned about the events which are taking place, I can assure you.

"We are very pleased to hear that the Police are taking an interest. I don't want to preempt my meeting with Police. But I'm happy they are involved like this.'' Mr. Tyrell said the problems appeared to stem from a new generation of match-goers -- with different standards of behaviour.

He said: "They look at things a lot different for the way my generation looked at things. It's certainly not totally acceptable to my thinking, let's put it that way.'' Mr. Tyrell added: "Heaven forbid that things could get worse. I'd like to think we could contain what's happening.

"I wouldn't say if nothing gets done, the problems will get worse -- but it will certainly stay the same and that is unacceptable.'' The floodlights have been turned on the sport in recent months after a series of violent incidents at games.

The worst incident was in November last year, when Pc. Paul Simons ended up in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's intensive care unit after being stabbed at a Somerset v. Boulevard game at Somerset Cricket Club.

The stabbing came after a group of more than 80 fans staged a mini-riot on the pitch just minutes before the final whistle.

The trouble was later blamed on rival gangs using soccer matches as a venue for clashes.

Earlier that month, match refs demanded action after two were assaulted on the pitch on successive weekends.

A Police spokesman said: "The Commissioner is well aware of the problem and taking it seriously.

"And we always try to prevent crime rather than deal with it after it happens.

"By the mere fact that there has been trouble at some of the matches just recently, it requires attention.

"Where matches in the past have been quite friendly, recently we have seen an increase in violence and it's important it's stamped out before it gets any worse.'' POLICE POL CRIME CRM