The bid to drum up recruits for Bermuda's thin blue line has hit the radio airwaves.

Insp. Michael DeSilva -- a member of the Police National Recruitment Team -- said it was part of a new strategy designed to sell the service to young Bermudians.

Insp. DeSilva, who featured on a radio talk show yesterday banging the drum for a career in the Police, added: "This is just another example of the different media we are using to try and recruit people.

"In the past, we've had fairly flat adverts -- what we've done in the print media is profile Bermudians.

"We're showing the community that here are Bermudians and some of the things they've done in the Police which people might not be aware of.'' Featured are overseas courses for everything from top-class driving to drugs-busting, as well as off-duty relaxation and community work.

And Insp. DeSilva said: "We want to stress these are regular people and part of the community.'' He added that the service also wanted to sign up members of the public as an unofficial recruitment squad for the under-strength service.

Insp. DeSilva said: "Instead of just having Police officers or the Police Service trying to recruit people, we want to shift some of that onus on to the rest of the community.

"What we're saying is, if you're not interested, try and recruit someone for us.

"We want people to grab a neighbour, son, nephew or cousin and convince them.'' And he added that -- instead of dull advertisements and the routine sending out of application forms to potential recruits -- would-be cops would be invited in to talk about the Service as a career.

Insp. DeSilva said: "We're trying to make ourselves more available to people.

We were very clinical about the whole process.

"We want face-to-face appointments rather than an anonymous application form sent out to be filled in. By speaking to someone on the inside, it might help them to make a decision to join.'' The new campaign -- to be officially launched mid-month -- hopes to reverse the slump in recruiting and boost the under-strength force.

Already, members of the National Recruitment Team have given presentations to community organisations like the Lions and Rotary Clubs.

Insp. DeSilva said: "The Police Service is short-staffed and there is a perception that crime is on the increase.

"We all want a safer community and less crime -- that should be a community initiative and we hope people will rally round.'' On Tuesday, Shadow Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley backed a secret report's recommendation that officers would have to be recruited overseas to keep numbers up.

He warned that the new recruitment drive would be unlikely to produce enough recruits or fast enough to stem a mounting manpower crisis.

On air: Insp. Michael DeSilva