areas where they are most needed, Shadow Delegated Affairs Minister Mr.

Stanley Morton said yesterday.

Speaking at the party's daily Press conference, Mr. Morton said: "I know there are a number of officers confined to the office, doing clerical work when they should be assigned to areas where they can best be of help''.

Noting that violent crimes have more than doubled over the past decade and increased by some 26 percent last year, Mr. Morton pointed out "that has happened under a UBP Government''.

"The PLP consider that one of the key functions of Government is to provide a safe haven and a sense of security for all of its people,'' he said. "That is not happening at present.

"The news abounds with stories of persons who have been accosted for no apparent reason. Further, one has a significant segment of our community -- our women, who are increasingly at risk in their own homes. This is not acceptable.'' Mr. Morton said to foster law and order, Police morale must be high and the Police Service should be known as a body that serves its community fairly and firmly.

He said to ensure this a PLP Government would; Restructure the Police Department, putting a greater focus on parish constables; Increase Bermudianisation of the Police force; and Place more emphasis on education, effective training, and orientation for Police "with a more effective deployment of resources so that Police can carry out their duties where they are most needed''.

Turning to prison reform, Mr. Morton said: "Our emphasis has always been to favour creating a better balance between incarceration and rehabilitation,'' he added. "We said then in our 1989 platform as we say now -- Bermuda cannot afford to have a steadily growing institutionalised criminal population passing through revolving door prisons.'' The PLP would: Place more emphasis on community service sentences where appropriate; Set up halfway houses for offenders leaving prison; and Provide "proper'' psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation services for appropriate inmates.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION