Bermuda’s thin blue line has to police itself, the national security minister has said.

Wayne Caines told police they must hold each other accountable in the wake of a 2½-year sentence given to an officer for corruption.

Mr Caines praised the hard work and values of the majority of the police service.

He added: “Wherever there is a stain or there is a difficult time, we all take the hits together and we understand this.”

Mr Caines said the country valued the contribution of the island’s police officers, but that the public also expected officers show integrity.

He added: “This week we had a difficult set of circumstances among us with reference to one of our officers. There comes a time when we must hold each other accountable.

“I can say without fear of contradiction we stand shoulder to shoulder with each other on the work that must be done with integrity and with honour.

“The men and women of the Bermuda Police Service, to whom much is given, much is required.”

Mr Caines was speaking at the opening of a new police station in St George’s yesterday: a day after Pc Kyle Wheatley resigned from the service and admitted a charge of conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice in the Supreme Court.

The charge involved the destruction or suppression of 63 traffic tickets between July 2017 and May 2018 for “beneficial gain”.

Commissioner of Police Stephen Corbishley said afterwards: “Mr Wheatley has been held to account for his actions and has subsequently lost his career in the BPS and will now serve a substantial custodial sentence.”

He added: “His actions are his own and they do not represent the hard work of police officers and staff who serve and protect our communities.”