Furlough days have been reinstated for police officers as part of the agreement brokered between the Bermuda Government and the Bermuda Police Association.

The announcement was made by Michael Dunkley in the House of Assembly last week as he outlined supplementary figures for the Ministry of National Security during the Budget debate.

The Premier revealed that the BPA had agreed to a deal that meant furlough days had been reintroduced from the beginning of last month and would run until March next year. Mr Dunkley said the move to reinstate furlough days for police might reduce the extra $200,000 supplementary cost required to cover the salaries of officers.

“It is anticipated that this figure [$200,000]could be made back and reduced,” the Premier said. “Very shortly the BPA will make an announcement with Government that officers have been back on furlough days.

“That arrangement started in February and will end in March 2017. This arrangement might ameliorate that figure to some extent.”

Less than a week earlier, Mr Dunkley had revealed to the House of Assembly that a resolution had been found in the dispute between the BPA and the Government, but he did not go into detail about the deal.

At that time he said a joint statement by the parties would be issued in the “near future”.

The two sides had been at loggerheads over the terms and conditions of employment as part of budget negotiations since last year as the Government has tried to cut spending in the service.

Matters came to a head in December when about 100 police officers amassed on Cabinet grounds to present complaints to the Premier.

After the demonstration, Mr Dunkley acknowledged that a resolution would probably not satisfy either side completely, but maintained that one could be reached if both parties were prepared to compromise.