The Community relations Department is a specialist department within the police service. One of its goals is to foster positive relations within the community. The department is made up of smaller units each working within specialised areas, such as: * Crime Prevention * child and Juvenile services * Outward Bound * Schools Liaison Programme (R.E.A.C.H. & G.R.E.A.T. Programmes) * Drugs Prevention Officer The department has run a number of successful projects over the years to further the cause of crime and drug prevention within the community.

The Outward Bound Department is a fine example of this. For the thirty years that it has been running, it has offered the youth of Bermuda an opportunity to take part in exciting outdoor activities which both test the individual and group, and offers solutions and positive lifestyle changes to individuals most at risk in society, the young. Whilst doing this it has also introduced Bermuda's youth to Police Offices in a new and less hostile environment.

Outward Bound now works closely with another unit within the Community Relations Department, the Schools Programme, known as R.E.A.C.H., in our primary schools and G.R.E.A.T. in the middle school system. The schools programme provides a Bermudian curriculum to all of the communities schools, it provides 5 uniformed Officers on a full time basis to teach a variety of lessons, based on safety, crime prevention, drug awareness, and gang resistance programmes.

The schools programme is now in its 3rd year of operation and has been an overwhelming success. All the officers involved in this programme are actively involved with the activities of the Prevention Resource Centre and the Prevention Partners Group.

CADA has assisted greatly in the training of the officers through drug workshops and this partnership will we hope continue, as training is essential if we are to continue to give a message to the youth which is both of substance and in line with other prevention agencies such as CADA.

The schools officers now use the Outward Bound Programme to teach youngsters about positive lifestyles and natural highs, this has dramatically increased the numbers exposed to the Outward Bound experience.

The Bermuda Life Skills Group (BLSG) have also assisted greatly in the promotion and development of the schools programme. They are responsible for training all of the officers to deliver not just the Life Skills Programmes, which are being taught in all schools at all levels, but also the G.R.E.A.T.

Programme.

This partnership with the Prevention partners is a classic example of how prevention based organisation can and should cooperate to provide a consistent prevention message through to the community.

Officers within the department continue to work closely with CADA, BLSG, the family Learning Centre and PRIDE. The Community Relations Department thanks the board of CADA the Prevention partners for their Cooperation over the years, we look forward to continue working with you closely and congratulate you on the opening of the Prevention Resource Centre. Contributed by: INSP. B.

HOPKINS OIC. Community Relation Department DRUGS DGS