Government yesterday threw its full weight behind Police Commissioner Mr.

Colin Coxall's anti-crime offensive.

But Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness warned the Police could not act alone.

In the House of Assembly yesterday, he appealed to the community to rise up against the crime wave.

Mr. Edness also hailed Parish Constables as a key weapon in the war against crime.

They were an effective link between the community and the Police, and he urged people to take advantage of them.

It was a major worry, he said, to learn lack of public interest could kill a scheme under which Parish Constables spent time in Post Offices at set hours so members of the public could raise concerns with them.

Maybe the public was not sufficiently aware of the scheme, he added.

Mr. Edness welcomed a suggestion by Shadow Works Minister Mr. Walter Roberts that the hours of such meetings should be changed, and made more convenient to the public.

"Parish Constables are going to be the key to the new strategy,'' he added.

Elsewhere during the continuation of the Throne Speech debate, Mr. Edness said: Drug programmes should be set up in the workplace; The process of putting more Policemen on the beat by taking them out of administrative jobs was under way; The Progressive Labour Party's plan to present its own report on beating crime was welcome; Police equipment, such as jackets, truncheons and shields, was being improved; Bermudian Policemen could be trained with overseas forces; Plans were in hand for a National Training Board; and Bermuda should follow Europe's example by starting "on-the-job'' training schemes.

Mr. Edness began yesterday by focussing on this passage in the Throne Speech: "During this Session, the Government will concentrate its energies on the advancement of the peace, the welfare and the prosperity of the people of these Islands...'' These were important words, and were not meant lightly by Government.

"We are honest about improving the welfare and prosperity of the people of this Country.'' Mr. Edness said Government was fully behind plans by Mr. Coxall and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Michael Mylod to restructure the Police, as outlined in the Service Strategy.

The aim was to get an efficient Police Service, and to enhance the prevention of crime.

"It must be recognised the Police cannot do it alone...it is important for a tiny community like ours to recognise this.'' One way the community could help was by setting up drug programmes in the workplace.

Through such schemes, people could take the anti-drug message home with them.

The public could also help Police by providing information on crimes, said Mr.

Edness. And he urged anybody witnessing an offence to dial 911.

"We have some communities in this Country that need to be taken back,'' he added.

"People have to come together, to have meetings, and decide what they can do to help communities form an effective link with the Police.'' Mr. Edness said "civilianisation'' was central to efforts to put more Policemen on the beat.

Under this, Police officers were moved from administrative duties.

The process was already under way -- for example, 12 officers had been transferred from the Airport, said Mr. Edness.

"This process is a major thrust of the strategy.'' Mr. Edness turned to the PLP's in-house document on crime which, he understood, was being finalised.

"I have to say Government supports any effort by the PLP, or anybody else, although particularly the PLP since they are the Opposition, which we can debate and discuss.

"I think the document will be a tremendous help. Government welcomes that effort. Nobody has a monopoly on ideas.'' Mr. Edness urged Bermudians to look at the Service Strategy, and learn about the proposals to revitalise the Police.

These included enhancing the gear, such as shields and helmets, turning it into one of the best-equipped Forces in the world.

Mr. Edness said it was inevitable morale would dip during the restructuring.

"Usually, when you start an assessment things get worse before they get better.

"But when you explain to Policemen about the direction they are being taken in, they appreciate it.'' He added: "You can't expect morale to jump overnight, but I believe the changes taking place will have a favourable effect on morale.'' Mr. Edness said one idea to boost Police training was to link up with overseas forces.

Bermudians could join such forces, and learn about Policing in a much bigger country.

Such a training could be invaluable -- and this system of Police "exchanges'' was something well worth considering, said Mr. Edness.

Mr. Edness went on to focus on cycle theft, describing it as the "single biggest crime category'' in Bermuda.

Discussions on combatting the crime, involving suppliers of cycle spares, the Corporation of Hamilton, and insurers, were being held.

One idea was for specially protected cycle parking areas to be set up in Hamilton.

Mr. Edness also suggested bike thieves should receive community service.

"The public should know they are doing this service because they stole bikes.

"Obviously this will involve Probationary Service and other people in the community.

"Many bike thieves are aged 14 to 17, and one wonders what parental guidance is being given in these areas.

"I believe this business of cycle thefts is symptomatic of something else.'' Mr. Edness said he had heard reports youngsters were being encouraged by older people to steal bikes.

If this was true, the law should come down hard on this practice.

Mr. Edness then switched to training, saying a number of programmes were being drawn up to help young people.

For instance, there were plans for a scheme to help hotels train kitchen staff and porters.

It was also intended to set up a National Training Board to broaden training in Bermuda.

Shadow Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Alex Scott said the Opposition could agree with much of what Mr. Edness had said.

But he warned Police morale and "esprit de corps'' should not be sacrificed during the restructuring.

The Bermuda Police Service must be made user-friendly.

"We don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water when restructuring.'' It was important for the Bermuda Police rank and file to feel part of the changes, Mr. Scott said as he resumed speaking after lunch.

He was not surprised that few members of the public had shown up to speak to officers as they sat waiting inside post offices. Officers had to get out in the community to know the public.

Mr. Edness had said more information was needed to fight crime, but Mr. Scott would be "somewhat alarmed'' about setting up an intelligence arm.

"Special Branch is probably enough for right now.'' And Police could be helped by retired officers who knew the communities they lived in.

Turning to a recent exercise staged by Police, the Bermuda Fire Service, and the Bermuda Regiment, Mr. Scott said he was unhappy about the "insensitive scenario'' that was devised.

In the mock exercise, "the reason for the alert...was that a labour leader was found in a night club in some sort of contact with drugs,'' Mr. Scott said. "The Police, Regiment, and the fire department had to deal with the resulting problem.'' Mr. Scott recalled that the Regiment once got into trouble because of the scenario it used at an exercise in Barbados, pretending an invading force from Cuba had to be repelled.

"They forgot the Barbadian Government was very close to the Cuban Government,'' Mr. Scott said. "They were stopped in their tracks.'' "The whole thing is not true,'' interpolated Mr. Edness. "What you've said is not correct.'' "That was reported and no one retracted,'' Mr. Scott said. "We all heard it.'' Mr. Edness had said anyone affected by the Police reorganisation would not be disadvantaged. However, "that is not the feeling that is abroad amongst the ranks right now,'' the Shadow Minister continued.

He understood "there are careers that will come to a premature end. There are individuals in the top ranks who are at risk.'' The overseas officers should not overlook the importance of local talent, Mr.

Scott said. If morale fell, an organisational chart would not replace esprit de corps.

"Sometimes when we go overseas to look for solutions, we import problems.'' Mr. Scott felt the numbers of officers who would be replaced by civilians so they could return to the streets left "a lot to be desired.'' Officers were needed on the street right away, and Government should look at servicing the Police with existing public servants in areas like human resources, media relations, and career development.

To curb crime in Bermuda, officers had to be out in the community such that criminals would not know when they might show up.

Turning to Commissioner Colin Coxall's recent refused entry to Cuba for a crime conference because his documents were not in order, Mr. Scott said some narcotics officers felt an opportunity had been missed for Bermuda to benefit from the gathering.

He hoped a report from the conference would still be received in Bermuda, perhaps through the British Government or Interpol.

A Progressive Labour Party report on Bermuda's crime problem would soon be made public, he said.

Turning to Immigration, Mr. Scott said it was "long overdue'' for Government to articulate a policy with respect to long-term residents.

The issue was "not a vote-getter,'' but these were "families and individuals who have made a contribution to Bermuda over the years'' and "warrant at least consideration.'' At the same time, the interests of Bermudians had to come first, Mr. Scott said.

He recently received a "very constructive'' letter from the Portuguese Bermudian Organisation and felt many of their concerns were not very different from those of Bermudians generally.

The PBO was particularly concerned about individuals who had been in Bermuda so long they had Bermudian children and grandchildren. There were also young adults who arrived after age six, had been here more than 20 years, and were "now raising a second generation of stateless citizens,'' yet were unable to apply for status. There were also women who were victims of sexual discrimination and did not receive status when their male siblings did.

Mr. Scott noted that the PBO also wanted Bermudians put first and was opposed to new work permit holders being allowed to stay in Bermuda for years.

Continued in Monday's newspaper