On Easter Monday Sergeant Scott Devine was asked to do something he had never contemplated in his 17 years of policing — stand up before hundreds of primary students and reassure them no one was going to get shot at their school.

Sgt Devine is one of the Community Action Team officers responsible for the central parishes, Victor Scott Primary falls within his boundaries.

On Good Friday this year Kimwande Walker was flying a kite with his young son and daughter when two men rode through the school field on a bike and shot him in broad daylight. The gunmen chased 35-year-old Mr. Walker and shot him several times leaving him to die on the field as they rode off in front of approximately 60 people including students at the school.

Two days later many of those same students had to return to the scene of the crime to start the summer term of school.

"Basically they asked us to come and reassure them," Sgt Devine said. "A lot of the students were there when the shooting happened, or have dads, brothers or cousins who are involved in the shootings. They were upset and many of them were upset that there were still officers at the school, and basically I had to come and reassure them that the police were not going to shoot them. I had to tell them it was OK to be upset and if they wanted to talk to the officers they could.

"It was something I have never had to do in my 17 years as a police officer."

Some of the officers there that day have returned to the school from time to time to play football with the students. Sgt. Devine calls it "breaking down the old wall" in a community where many have been suspicious of the police for many years.

Pc Krishna Singh said relating with students at a young age, before they have been taught to see police as they bad guys, is one of the focuses of the Community Action Teams across the Island.

On Monday he joined Pc Peter Philpott and Pc Keola Thompson at Happy Valley Child Care Centre. They spent the afternoon playing with preschoolers and telling them what to tell police if they find themselves lost.

"We like to start from a young age," Pc Singh said. "We want them to see that officers can be their friends, people they can talk to, not just people who come and lock you up."

On Monday The Royal Gazette met with a few of the 70 officers responsible for Pembroke, Devonshire and Paget.

They are led by Chief Inspector Othneal Haynes. In addition to going to schools Chf Insp Haynes said his officers are trying to meet the needs of residents as well, such as coordinating with Works and Engineering to rid areas of graffiti.

Pc Kelisha King said the community policing was already paying off. She is the dedicated patrol officer responsible for Court Street during the days.

"We are working with businesses," she said. "We know the people here, daytime drinking on the street has gone down and so has the drug dealing. You won't see that anymore during the days here, they know we are here and they have moved on largely."