Edwards has made it clear his top goal is to improve the public image of the Force.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Royal Gazette yesterday, Mr. Edwards said he was determined to reverse the loss of a "certain amount'' of public confidence in the Police.

High-speed driving by officers and fewer foot patrols were two examples he mentioned that had contributed to an image of the Police being less sensitive and responsive to the public.

"There has to be something of a new philosophy,'' he said at his Prospect headquarters. "Service to the community is our most important product.

"I think it's utterly important as we move into the 1990s toward the year 2000 that we look at the overall accountability of Police. They've always been accountable, but ever moreso these days the public expects a very professional service.'' Mr. Edwards said the Force had been seen as something of a "bull in a china shop.

"The public has perceived that. I say that with no slight against past administrations. In tough situations, such as drugs, we can't always act like boy scouts. But in day-to-day issues, we must maintain our best professional approach.

"I think we need a lot of community contact. We need to be listening more to the public. We have to show some compassion.'' To that end, Mr. Edwards and his senior officers have been working against the grain of budget cutbacks to get more officers back onto the streets.

Moves are afoot to revitalise the role of parish constables, who in recent years have been spending less time in the communities.

"We must redeploy to get these parish constables back on their beats on a full-time basis,'' Mr. Edwards said. "These officers make valuable contact with the public. We've lost an important aspect of policing in that area. I'd like to see them return. There's a big demand for it across Bermuda.'' There are also plans to increase the use of the Reserve Constabulary, the 80-member Police back-up force, for a greater street presence.

Confronting the 462-strong Force is a community that Mr. Edwards admits is increasingly violent.

"I think our daily reports show that violence in the areas of the nightclubs is increasing,'' he said. "We've also been noticing that women are fighting more than ever.'' The Commissioner said he was concerned about the growing use of weapons such as baseball bats and clubs, particularly among young people.

"I find myself asking whether it is now common place for young people to drive around with these things,'' he said.

Mr. Edwards indicated that patrols would continue to be a key element in controlling crime, particularly in trouble spots along Court Street, Ord Road and Middle Road in Warwick, the Royal Navy Field in Somerset, Loyal Hill in Devonshire and Friswell's Hill in Pembroke.

The war against drugs remained a top priority. Drugs squad manpower, for instance, had not been affected by budget cuts that saw the Force reduced by 27 to 462.

He said he couldn't explain why the Force had not made any significant drug busts in recent years.

"The ordinary everyday type of arrest is being made on a frequent basis,'' he said. "We're still convinced there are a fair number of `Mr. Bigs' out there running probably very successful rings.'' While stressing that education was the key to killing widespread drug use, Mr.

Edwards said there would always be a core of people "who are going to die in that field no matter what education comes along''.

He said the battle against drugs was never-ending.

Other areas concerning the Commissioner included pack-racing and cycle thievery. He described pack-racing as an age-old problem requiring strong parental involvement to suppress. Cycle thefts, he said, were a national pastime and stood as an indictment of "what's happening with our young people''.

In April alone, he said, 78 motorcycles had been stolen with an estimated value of $139,725. Only 24 had been recovered, all of them stripped.

Mr. Edwards said he thought Force morale was okay.

"I think my ear is pretty close to the ground,'' he said.

He recognised the need to conclude a new two-year contract with the Police Association. The last contract expired on September 31.

"I'm trying to get it concluded as soon as possible because it's something you can't afford to have hanging around.''