Firearms officers will join a full complement of marine craft and Regiment soldiers to police the waters of the Great Sound for this weekend’s America’s Cup World Series Bermuda.

More than 20 policemen and women, including armed officers and doctors, will be on patrol in the five Marine Unit powercraft around the racecourse to ensure the spectacle goes smoothly.

Police have also warned drone owners to respect the no-fly zone around the Great Sound and the west of the Island during the race or face being hauled before the courts.

“At present there are five licensed drone operators in Bermuda, but we believe there are hundreds of people with drones,” said Inspector Robert Cardwell, who is responsible for roads policing and marine units.

“It’s very important that everyone who owns a drone understands that they are absolutely prohibited over and around the Great Sound for obvious safety reasons. There will be a helicopter flying in the area for the duration of the event and our priority is the crew’s safety as well as those on the water.

“If we locate a drone we will deploy land assets to locate the controller and they can expect to be put before Magistrates’ Court and face substantial penalties.

“Given the popularity of this pursuit, I imagine we will see more legislation regulating drone activity in the future.”

The no-fly zone over the Great Sound and the west of the Island came into operation on Monday and will remain in force until sunset on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, preparations continued in Hamilton this week for the World Series races that begin on Saturday in the Great Sound.

Inspector Cardwell told The Royal Gazette: “It is a huge operation. A lot of people will take to the water and we must ensure people enjoy it safely.

“We will be supporting the Royal Bermuda Regiment and racecourse marshals with a total of 21 officers.

“Hamilton Harbour will have a five-knot limit at all times and boats are prohibited from following the racing catamarans at any time. We will have firearms officers on hand as part of our team as well as a scuba capacity on the water. There will also be a medical capacity of two doctors and EMTs.”