A Police car collided with a tree stump in Hamilton Parish yesterday morning leaving the car damaged, but no one hurt.

The collision is at least the sixth in the past 12 months resulting in damage to a Police vehicle. At least four civilians and one Police officer have been injured in the collisions.

According to a Police spokesperson, the latest crash was reported around 9.35 a.m yesterday. It happened on Harrington Sound Road, near the junction with Paynters Road.

"It appears that a marked Police car was traveling along Harrington Sound Road when the driver lost control and collided with a tree stump resulting in front end damage to the vehicle," he explained. "The officer driving the Police car at the time was not injured."

The Police refused to answer questions from The Royal Gazette over whether the car was responding to a call at the time, and whether it was speeding. They also refused to disclose how much the damage to the car will cost to repair.

A spokesman said: "As it is our custom we do not speak in detail about Police collisions [but] a full investigation into the collision will be carried out."

Michelle St. Jane, chair of the Police Complaints Authority, said earlier this week that it is concerned over the number of recent collisions. The authority is an independent body dealing with civilian complaints against the Police, and currently has two open cases before it involving Police collisions.

Ms St. Jane told The Royal Gazette: "We have written to the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) asking for the rules for unmarked cars speeding and what response has been undertaken with regards to the recent incidences."

The PCA is due to discuss the matter with the Police at their quarterly meeting on September 22 and to review the topic at the PCA monthly meeting on September 29.

The Police have declined to respond to several requests from this newspaper for statistics on the number of collisions involving Police vehicles, and the causes of those collisions. However, the Police spokesperson said that a media statement on the topic will be released over the weekend.