Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox has listed the shortages in officers and financing as her main concerns for the Bermuda Police Service.

But changes to the Service are not on the immediate horizon.

The news comes in the Winter 1998 issue of Upbeat, the news publication of the Service, which features an interview with Ms Cox.

"The Minister is cognizant that an increase of officers is necessary just to carry out the regular police duties at present,'' noted staff writer Cathy Stovell.

And Ms Cox "did say that she is not opposed to recruitment from overseas'', continued Ms Stovell -- as long as no one country was shown any bias.

"Any overseas recruitment, however, should only be carried out to alleviate the problems for the short term,'' she added.

"Miss Cox was adamant that the Police should be aiming to attract locals into the Service but recognised that this might only materialise in the long term.'' In her own words, Ms Cox says: "We need to reach a stage where locals seek out a career in the Police Service.'' Civilianisation of Service posts receives backing from Ms Cox in the article.

"I am pro-instances that will free officers to do actual policing work,'' she told Ms Stovell.

Minister Cox also plans to reinstitute the Police cadet scheme in the Island's schools, wrote Ms Stovell, as she sees the scheme as a means of attracting Bermudians to the Service.

However she added that changes would be made to the programme to ensure it was not abused by the public as it had been in the past.

"The new programme would be designed bearing in mind the faults of the old one so that we can learn from our mistakes.'' Ms Cox will also seek more funds for the service, reported Ms Stovell.

Areas needing to be addressed such as the Service's physical plant, marketing, public relations and education can not be entertained until this financing is in place, she noted.