Public Safety Minister David Burch yesterday backed down from his demand for control of the Police service.

"I do not give a monkey's who is in charge of operational control of the Police," said the Minister in a heartfelt Senate speech hours after learning about Bermuda's third fatal shooting of 2009.

Sen. Burch said people on the streets are not concerned about who is in charge of the Police — they simply want results in the battle against escalating gang violence.

Two days ago, Premier Ewart Brown had told the media he still believes Government House should hand over control to Government, a frequently issued demand initially made by Sen. Burch in 2007. The pair have repeatedly been accused of politicising the issue of policing.

Sen. Burch told Senators in yesterday's Motion to Adjourn: "I'm not even going to comment on the political bickering about who's telling the truth. That's immaterial to the crisis that we face.

"My focus is going to be on how we, Government, and me as a Bermudian can do something to correct it."

Sen. Burch later reflected on Government's relationship with Governor Sir Richard Gozney, while praising new Commissioner Michael DeSilva.

He said: "At the risk of being accused of lying, from my perspective the relationship between Government and Government House and the Police service is the best it's been in the two years I have had responsibility for it. Straight up. People asked us to fix it and we have done so.

"Ain't no love fest, never going to be that, but we are on the same page, committed to working together. They have agreed to overseas assistance. It's what we have been asking for."

He said he had not commented about operational control of policing for more than a year, saying of people on the streets: "They don't care about the constitution in that regard. They want action and results. The aim here is to get policing in this country at a standard where all the laws are in force."

Responding yesterday, Sir Richard said: "Naturally I welcome Minister Burch's public support for the steps now being taken and for the new Bermuda Police leadership, which he repeated this afternoon at the handover of Police Commissioner.

"I am very conscious that the Bermuda Government, not Government House, pay all the Police Service bills. Equally I keep well in mind that those held accountable by public opinion and their constituents are the Bermuda Government Ministers and the Island's MPs."

In a Senate speech in July 2007, Sen. Burch called for then-Governor Sir John Vereker to hand over constitutional responsibility for the Police "in the interests of what is best for Bermuda".

A few days earlier, Dr. Brown had threatened to suspend further business with Sir John in a sensational television broadcast.

Both statements followed a Mid-Ocean News story which claimed a leaked Police dossier revealed that the Premier and a handful of former Ministers were investigated by detectives probing allegations of corruption at Bermuda Housing Corporation.

Critics claimed Sen. Burch and Dr. Brown were deliberately creating a rift with the UK to distract from negative publicity in the run-up to the December 2007 General Election; and that the row suited Dr. Brown's pro-Independence agenda.