Police Commissioner George Jackson is to retire in mid-December, it was announed this afternoon.

Governor Sir Richard Gozney confirmed the retirement in a statement in which he paid tribute to George Jackson who has been the Commissioner for the last four years.

The statement said that a successor would be announced “within days’.

Sir Richard said: “I would like to pay a very warm tribute to Commissioner Jackson’s work over the last four years.

“As always it has been a time of change and challenge for the Bermuda Police Service. The Police Service has emerged much stronger, I believe, at the end of the Commissioner’s tenure thanks to a series of steps taken under his leadership.

“The numbers of policemen are up, their salaries are up, their presence on the streets is up, the number of arrests which they are making is up and their use of the new Police and Criminal Evidence Act is showing tangible and quite exciting results.”

Sir Richard added: “The Commissioner or Police and I want to acknowledge the central role of the Bermuda Government in enabling these positive changes to happen, through an increased Police Service budget and new legislation.”

* See the full story and more reaction in tomorrow's Royal Gazette.