New Police recruits put their fitness and leadership skills to the test yesterday when they completed the Bermuda Outward Bound assault course.

The 11 new officers started their 16-week training course last week, but yesterday spent the day on Paget Island in the East End for some fun assignments.

On the agenda for the day was walking across ropes and beams more than 30 feet up in the air, swinging from a trapeze, and climbing challenges.

However, all of the recruits were safely harnessed and in the hands of instructors.

Sgt. Sean Field-Lament of the Police training school said the objective of the day was to identify the team and leadership skills of the recruits, as well as their physical strengths.

"The aim of the day is purely to enable the recruits to take part in team-building exercises because they will be working together for the next 15 weeks and it gives them an opportunity to get to know each other and trust each other," he said.

"There are tests of physical strength, as well as problem-solving, and they help to break down the barriers, as well as identify to us what skills each of them has and where they need some development.

"This is a relatively young course - they are all aged between 19 and 31, and three of them are women, so it's a good mix. They are each from various backgrounds, so they each bring different skills, which is good. They are a very good mix of people."

During the next four months, the recruits will learn law, First Aid, officer safety, life-saving skills, drill, interview techniques and report writing. However, they will also undergo intense physical training, as well as listen to a number of speakers from agencies such as CURE, the Women's Resource Centre, the Physical Abuse Centre and the Employee Assistance Programme.

Ronald Smith, 20, from Pembroke, said he decided to join the Police last year when his first child was about to be born.

He said: "I stopped and thought about what I had accomplished because I was about to have a child. I was not too impressed with what I had done to that point and where I was heading. I wanted to do something positive, I like working with people, and I like the physical challenge, so it seemed ideal for me.

"I'm looking forward to the variety of the job, and it has been a lot of fun, so far."

Nicole O'Connor, 28, of St. David's, said she was able to at last join the Service after the regulations on height and perfect eye sight changed.

"I wanted to join the Service ever since the Police came and visited my school about road safety when I was young," she said.

"I think I wanted to join because of my own personal moral standards. To me, right is right and wrong is wrong, and it's a uniformed, disciplined job.

"I feel I will be making a difference. I want to be one of those officers you can count on."

Anyone interested in joining the Police Service should call 295-0011.