Police yesterday denied a soccer tour to Canada involving around 35 officers would stretch the Island's thin blue line to breaking point.

And senior officers insisted that the under-strength force had made arrangements to cover the absence of the Police men's and women's soccer squads on the ten-day Vancouver trip.

Supt. Gertie Barker said: "It's caused a bit of a strain, but we're certainly coping.

"And there will definitely be the same number of Police on the streets as usual.'' Supt. Barker added that staff normally posted to Police administrative jobs will step in to fill the gaps.

And the Reserve Police will also be out in force to help cover any shortages caused by the soccer trip and other commitments, including normal vacation leave and officers on training courses.

The teams -- made up of both regular and Reserve officers -- flew out yesterday for a ten-day tournament in Canada.

The tournament is an international event involving Police soccer teams from all over North America.

Supt. Barker said: "This was a tour which was arranged some time ago and the management decided this would be a good time. We have made the necessary arrangements to cover for it.'' Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox told the House of Assembly in May this year that the force was 30 officers under its current establishment of 423 -- although the true number of officers ought to be 443.

And the Core Functions Review ordered by Government into the state of the force revealed that as many as 116 officers at any one time could be unavailable for duty.

Resignations and retirement can account for the service being down by 30 officers, while annual leave accounts for another 30.

More than 20 personnel are in training at any point, while illness and reassignment can mean another 30 officers being unavailable.

And the report added that several officers are assigned to desk roles.

Ms Cox, however, told the House during a debate on policing that perceived shortages could be alleviated by transferring experienced officers from roles like Police Prosecutions back into front-line jobs.

The North American Police Soccer Championships were held in Bermuda last year.

It was the first time the tournament had been hosted outside continental North America in its 19-year history.

The Bermuda Police men's squad beat HM Prisons in an all-Bermuda final to clinch the title previously held by Vancouver Police Department.

Other teams involved in the tournament include the US Secret Service, New York Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and Toronto Metro Police.

The championships were set up to encourage strong links between different forces, promote local communities and hammer home a drug-free sports message to youngsters.

SOCCER SOC