of criminals is about to be a thing of the past.

And officers who use elevated speed to answer a call can only do so if they are certain that someone's life is in danger and quick action is required.

Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness made the announcement yesterday after a meeting with Acting Commissioner Jean Jacques Lemay.

Mr. Edness said that senior officers have had a "brainstorming session'' to get to the root of the seven road accidents involving Police vehicles.

"We have looked at the driving to see whether all the rules and regulations have been followed,'' he said. "And a policy will go down to the rank and file that prohibits all high speed chases unless it is a matter of life or death.

"When a car receives a call from now on, the officer responding will be told whether it is a life or death call and he will act accordingly.'' Mr. Edness said the Police hierarchy hopes this will reduce the need for officers to race to calls unnecessarily and put themselves and others at risk.

Mr. Edness added the senior officers were taking the seven accidents seriously and had been "very professional'' about the entire issue.

Mr. Edness was speaking after the latest incident involving a Police vehicle.

A marked patrol vehicle using its blue light was in a high-speed collision with another car on Friday night in Southampton.

The officer involved suffered whiplash and a chip to the spine.