Derelict buildings could become Police stations as Commissioner Mr. Lennett (Lennie) Edwards tries to put more officers on the street.

"We, the Police Force, must make ourselves much more visible,'' and "not just in the fast-moving car,'' Mr. Edwards told the Hamilton Lions Club yesterday.

To do that, officers must "get back on the beat.'' Mr. Edwards said he wanted to "take some of the derelict buildings in various areas of Bermuda and make Police stations out of them, if necessary.'' The stations, which could be located in the north part of Hamilton, as well as Pembroke, Devonshire, and Paget, would not have to be staffed 24 hours a day.

But as an extension of the parish constable system, they could provide places in densely-populated areas that officers could work out of and "be seen visibly on the streets.'' The parish constable system was largely dismantled by budget cuts early this year, but public pressure meant "we had to put those people back,'' and now, "we intend to extend that,'' Mr. Edwards said.

"Community policing'' was the Police buzz word in North America, and parish constables formed the heart of Bermuda's community policing system. They worked eight hours or more a day in their respective parishes and saw Bermudians on their doorsteps.

Police Chief Insp. Larry Smith recently returned from studying community policing in Houston and Atlanta and would be involved in extending the approach in Bermuda.

Mr. Edwards, who took over as Police Commissioner in May of 1992, also told the Lions that Bermuda Police wanted "out of the Airport.'' The Force has told Government it would like to put the 30 officers assigned to the Civil Air Terminal back on Bermuda's streets and have security there turned over to a private agency.

Police were placed at the Airport in the early 1970s, at the height of air piracy, he said. Since then, "things have changed a lot.'' The recommendation to quit the Airport, which has not been approved by Government, was based on a study the Force conducted a year ago.

The recession and rising crime meant Police had to do more with less, and recent cuts also hurt morale, Mr. Edwards said.

But recently, "the news is good with regard to manpower cuts,'' he said.

Meetings with Government officials suggested "restoration is seen on the immediate horizon''.

Bermudian society had changed dramatically, to the point that a 10-year-old study intended to guide Police into the 21st century was "nearly obsolete''.

The days were gone when one could leave home with a window open, he said.

"We're not responsible for that,'' he said. "We're not responsible as Police officers for how people act in public.

"Many times people tend to look at us and blame us for that.'' A rise in violent crime was alarming, but it was fortunate that Bermuda Police officers were not being assaulted. At present, there was no need to arm officers, he said.

Although small, Bermuda was "not an easy country to police,'' Mr. Edwards said. "I think we do quite well.''