can be performed by civilians.

And Labour and Home Affairs Minister the Hon. J. Irving Pearman yesterday assured the redirection of Police manpower "from desk jobs to street work'' would start in the fall.

The move was part of the Government blueprint initiative to address the rising crime rate. It was felt increased Police presence would be a major deterrent to criminals.

"The Police are saying that they have trained Police officers in static duties -- there are 12 at the Airport purely doing desk duty,'' he said.

"These positions do not require training at the level that a Police officer has been trained.'' Mr. Pearman noted the move was decided on before recent sharp rises in visitor crimes.

The trend continued this week with a bus stop attack on a female tourist in Southampton and a hotel room break-in in Smith's Parish.

A German woman standing at the Whale Bay Road bus stop at about 11 p.m. on Tuesday had her handbag grabbed from her shoulder by a man on a motorbike.

The daring thief rode off on Middle Road in a westerly direction. Police believe there were witnesses and are asking them to come forward.

And on Monday night, a couple staying at a Smith's Parish hotel had their room broken into while they were sleeping.

A black leather wallet containing cash and all their travel documents, credit cards and other personal items were stolen.

Tourism officials were this week mulling the practice of issuing Government crime warnings in the face of a general increase in violence against visitors.

"We must be careful not to make a mountain out of a molehill, but we must also be careful not to ignore the warning signals,'' Tourism Minister the Hon.

C.V. (Jim) Woolridge said this week after a couple robbed at knifepoint on the Railway Trail last year said they would have appreciated a warning and considered it "sensible advice for our own safety''.

"I am deeply concerned (about crime) because the whole thrust of our promotion (overseas) has been Bermuda as a safe destination,'' Mr. Woolridge added.

Although hoteliers are looking to Government for some help in addressing crime against their guests, Mr. David Boyd, who is managing director of the Sonesta Beach Hotel, told The Royal Gazette he would prefer to have individual properties give out their own warnings.

It should be a management responsibility, he said, because "they are the ones who can best deal with it''.

A tourism development official with the Caribbean Tourist Organisation said yesterday Bermuda did not have a negative image concerning crime as far as he knew.

As for the Caribbean, visitor crime had not reached a crisis point given the number of visitors annually and the crimes against them, Mr. Luther Miller said.

He said none of the islands issued crime warnings through their governments because it would be "counterproductive'' for the country.

However, most hotels warned their guests to beware or try and stay in the resort compound.