With 42 recommendations to improve its investigation of serious crimes, the Police Service came in for a shellacking by the Serious Crimes Commission.

But the Island's top cop, Jean-Jacques Lemay claimed this weekend the Service was well on its way to being the reformed organisation it needs to be.

And he said much of the Service's resources has been tied up with the planning and training of the next generation of top level officers.

2001 will see the effects of what appears to have been turmoil within the Service as junior officers have not had the opportunity to be on training courses overseas and much energy was dedicated to the senior ranks.

A much talked about review of the Criminal Investigations Department is now underway and Mr. Lemay reaffirmed commitment to Bermuda adopting Britain's Police and Criminal Evidence law.

The Commission writes that there is an "urgent need for a cultural change in the Bermuda Police Service'' and warned against complacency about the Service's abilities in the future.

Technology and scientific methods should play a greater role in investigations, they continue, characterising it as a sword "rarely if ever unsheathed and lies in the main, rusting within its scabbard''.

"Too seldom'' scientific and technology is considered "intrinsic'' in an investigation locally, an oversight that could change the prosecution of crime.

The Commissioners noted a "defensive posture'' from senior Police officers before the panel and warned against an "insular and inward-looking philosophy'' in the upper ranks which is absent in the lower ranks.

"The best form of defence in their view,'' the Commission wrote, "was to bombard the Commission with a barrage of written material in the hope that would be irrefutable evidence of their industry or efficiency.'' While the senior officers have spent much time preparing reports of what should be done, the Commission claims that insufficient time "appears'' to have been taken in executing the grand plans.

They warn strongly against allowing the conduct of cases to be in the hands of a Superintendent who reports to an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

Commissioners noted that in the Police Service "the fortunate few'' get training while others have never traveled abroad.

It is recommended "as a matter of urgency'' that the 2000 edition of the UK Aide Memoire for Senior Investigating Officers and similar documents be circulated within the Service.

The Commission appeared to be impressed with Chief Inspector Carlton Adams with his candour in the problems he faces as the leading detective in the Major Incident Room.

They found he was hamstrung in his ability to use forensic evidence and computer processing of crime files due to finance considerations.

While impressed with the CID "as a whole'' the Commission said the department's officers needed "the most modern tools with which to detect crime and apprehend offenders''.

Police and prosecutors should receive extensive training in supporting victims of crime, with a special emphasis for victims of domestic and sexual abuse.

While impressed with the Major Incident and other CID officers and offices, the Commission appears to not be impressed with the Scenes of Crime Office.

They found it "disappointing'' that officers within the department paid little attention to DNA and other forensic collection but noted financial constraints controlled the department's advance.

"The identified shortcoming in up-to-date legislation and the limited forensic science support,'' the Report adds, "leaves the Commission in no doubt that an urgent address of these matters be viewed as a priority.'' Speaking yesterday Mr. Lemay welcomed the report and promised a special policy committee will study it and produce a summary of what it has done in six months time.

He said: "An Action Plan will be developed that will determine the changes or modification to be made to Service policies and which will be the focus of research and preparation for the introduction of new or additional legislation.

"(The Police Core Functions Report of 1999) highlights the areas the Service itself felt needed improvement,'' he continued. "And many of the issues raised and concerns expressed in the (Serious Crimes) Commissions Report can also be found in the Core Functions Report.

"Much has been done in the past three years to change and improve the way the Police Service conducts business. The transformation process now being carried out in the Police Service will have its greatest effect in the next year or so.'' Mr. Lemay added: "And it is expected these strategic changes will have a positive impact on the investigative skills and level of training for CID officers and Scenes of Crime officers.

"The new Strategies on Policing the Community and Crime Management will significantly change the way the Police will deal with crime, the impact of crime in the community and crime prevention.'' Mr. Lemay said he "both agrees and disagrees'' with the Serious Crimes Commission's assessment of his CID officers, saying that there are "several fine'' men and women in the department who are experienced in dealing with crime.

With new human resource developments in the pipeline, staffing difficulties will be reduced as more junior officers get more training, he said.

Mr. Lemay described his role as one to get local officers ready to modernise the Service while still fighting crime.

The Commission's recommendations on training within the Service are "pertinent and timely'' Mr. Lemay said, and he promised the 42 Recommendations will become part of the "preparation and publishing of the skills development and learning plan'' of the Service.