A new body linking reserve Police around the world was formed at The Reserve Police Commandants World Conference at the Sonesta Beach Hotel last week.

Bermuda's Reserve Police commandant Eugene Vickers is the first chairman of the International Association of Reserve Police Executives.

And Bermuda's Alex MacDonald of Crimestoppers will be the secretary of the new organisation.

Mr. Vickers said reserve police were valued in Bermuda by Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith and most of the public but not taken seriously in some countries.

Mr. Vickers said: “There is a problem all over the world with Police and how they treat reserves. We do every duty the Police do. We have the same powers of arrest.”

The new body has representatives from England, Wales, Canada, Germany, the US, the Bahamas, Trinidad and the Cayman islands. The aim is to enrol other countries said Mr. Vickers.

At last week's conference the new organisation agreed to hold a yearly conference and it was decided that next year's would be in the Bahamas.

A man left Arnold's Supermarket in Pembroke without paying for groceries worth $166.78 on Saturday.

Police attended the supermarket at 5.50 p.m. shortly after the incident.

Arnold's Supermarkets owner, Frank Arnold, said: “The man's Easy Link card was declined and he told staff that he would go and get cash from a cash point machine.

“Surveillance equipment shows that the man stood outside for a while on his phone and then called the young grocery packer. He told the boy that it was all sorted and to bring out the groceries. The boy brought him the shopping and he gave the boy a $2 tip before getting into a waiting cab.”

Thieves broke into a Warwick home and stole a whole hogfish, Klondike ice cream bars and popsicles from the freezer.

Police said the complainant claimed they also took a gold link bracelet with a heart shaped safety catch, a charm bracelet with two charms, a gold rope bracelet and a silver Croton watch with a blue face.

The incident happened between 7.35 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. on Monday.

Government Information Services has been renamed the Department of Communication and Information.

Minister of Works and Engineering Alex Scott said the name more accurately reflected the services provided by the department. It offers public relations, photographic and graphic designs to Government departments,

He said the department was still hunting for a new Director, vacant since last year.

The creation of a web designer post and assistant director of creative services post is also on the cards with funds for most of the changes coming from the current Budget, said Mr. Scott.

A St. George's man has been denied bail by a magistrate after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexual assault.

The man cannot be named for legal reasons.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves set the matter down for mention for November 5.