The Police service began environmental testing of its own at Hamilton and Somerset Police Stations yesterday after an expert branded the Hamilton station uninhabitable due to dangerous mould.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that US expert Jack Thrasher conducted tests at Hamilton on Tuesday on behalf of Detective Constable Emmerson Donald, who is suing Government over sickness he claims was caused by mould.

According to Dr. Thrasher, Hamilton station is so contaminated that it's uninhabitable, and officers working there should be wearing breathing masks. He and fellow expert Michael Pugliese were so concerned by what they saw, they donned masks themselves.

Concerns about working conditions at the station date back to 1978, when the building was first condemned. The Mid-Ocean News reported in 2007 on a leaked report that Bermuda Water Consultants wrote for the Police service, which reported high counts of mould throughout the premises.

Dr. Thrasher and Mr. Pugliese also conduced tests at Somerset Police Station on Thursday. According to Det. Con. Donald's lawyer Richard Horseman, they found that station to be in "much better shape than Hamilton".

This newspaper invited Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva to comment before yesterday's story was published, but he declined the opportunity to do so.

However, Assistant Commissioner Paul Wright issued a statement to all media organisations yesterday, in response to the story being published.

He said: "A court order was recently issued to allow two mould consultants hired by a local law firm to conduct tests at Hamilton and Somerset Police Stations in relation to a civil action brought against the Bermuda Government.

"Media reports today have highlighted the opinion of those consultants that the Hamilton Police Station is 'so contaminated with mould that it is uninhabitable'.

"Naturally we are all committed to maintaining the health and safety of everyone working in or visiting the buildings that we occupy. The Bermuda Police Service has a long-established relationship with local experts Bermuda Water Consultants (BWC) to periodically test the quality of our air and water at Bermuda Police Service occupied buildings.

"Since 2006, the Bermuda Police Service has spent $78,000 on that testing programme, which has included every building that we occupy. This testing programme also includes follow-up inspections conducted in 2008."

Mr. Wright said as a result, the Police Service has been working with BWC, Bermuda Land Development Corporation and the Department of Works and Engineering to improve the state of the buildings it occupies.

"In some cases, new purpose-built facilities have been opened or are under construction and renovations have been carried out at other buildings," he said, going on to explain that BWC gave cleaning and renovation advice.

However, Mr. Wright added: "In light of the concerns reported in the media today, the Commissioner has ordered that another follow-up inspection of Hamilton and Somerset Police Stations be conducted by BWC as an independent company not connected with the current civil litigation.

"Discussions with the management of BWC were conducted first thing this morning and I am pleased to report that the testing will commence immediately today.

"I have agreed with BWC that in order to facilitate a quick response, they will provide me with an immediate verbal report in the event they find levels of contamination to support the opinions expressed by the private consultants. I will of course keep you all updated on any developments. In the interim, the stations will remain open in line with the course of action agreed as a result of the last independent inspection."

Opposition MP Louise Jackson said she has been concerned about conditions at Hamilton Police Station ever since she raised the topic of the 2007 report by BWC in the House of Assembly.

"Nothing was done about it and now the chickens have come home to roost and the situation has gotten worse," she claimed yesterday.

"I find it reprehensible that this Government would allow this to have happened, and I'm very sad about it because people have become sick."

Lawyer Mr. Horseman reported yesterday that further Police officers have come forward with health concerns they believe could be linked to mould.