and promising to serve at least three years as constables.

Watched by Acting Premier Dame Lois Browne Evans, Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox, and Works Minister Alex Scott, Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay and the cadets' families, the five signed a contract in a ceremony at Prospect yesterday.

The contract obligates them to complete the Bermuda College's Arts and Science Associates Degree programme and to join the Service for three years.

Apart from their age, the 17-year-olds have completed all of the requirements for becoming officers.

The minimum age to join the Service is 19.

The new cadets are: Sidney Fray, Karim Hewey, Shakeisha Minors, Rodericka Peterson, and Rickeisha Tucker.

Dame Lois told the cadets: "Your duty is to the community, the law, and good order. It is a thankless job. It's about commitment.'' She said her Government had "vowed'' to restart the scheme, which ran from 1959 to 1997.

Ms Cox said the reinstitution of the scheme was an example of a "strategic partnership'' between the Police, the College, and the community.

And she said 24 percent of serving officers were former cadets, including Acting Supt. Carlton Adams, Insp. Anthony Mouchette, and Insp. Michael DeSilva.

She added: "You have been proactive and productive, and you are and will be progressive.'' Chief Insp. Vendal Bridgeman said the cadets were all keen to join the Service and added: "I am sure that we will never have to go to these contracts. They all want to be Police officers.'' He said the scheme was a "useful'' way of recruiting Bermudians, bringing in smart candidates for the Service.

"Any one of them could be a high flyer,'' Chief Insp. Bridgeman said. "And down the road, the majority of them could be in management positions within the Service.'' At the completion of their diplomas, the cadets will then enter the 16-week induction course to become constables.

Chief Insp. Bridgeman said they would have an advantage over other recruits, because of their knowledge of the Service gained while working with officers during school breaks.

"They will have to keep up their grades at school and conform to all the discipline within the Police Service,'' Chief Insp. Bridgeman added. "When they are not in school they will be attached to a division. And they will have a community service component.'' While they are cadets, they will receive a $23,000 annual salary and they must complete four hours of community service each month. If they do not complete the three years in the Service, the cadets will be required to repay the cost of all college expenses incurred.