Police made 69 arrests and cleared up 164 warrants during the first five days of a crackdown on those with outstanding fines and warrants, Chief Inspector Anthony Mouchette said yesterday.

But these numbers represent the tip of the iceberg as Police attempt to address a backlog of 7,000 outstanding warrants and collect $1.4 million in unpaid fines.

Chief Insp. Mouchette is heading up a new, five-member Warrant Team specially charged with tackling the backlog of court appearance no-shows and fine dodgers.

The team began setting up roadblocks during busy traffic times last Friday.

Yesterday, their efforts at the bottom of Stowe Hill in Paget caused a frustrating morning traffic jam which left some commuters raging.

In the process, however, Police arrested 21 people and cleared 23 warrants.

“We apologise for the inconvenience of “We apologise for the inconvenience of the location at Stowe Hill,” Chief Insp. Mouchette said yesterday in response to complaints.

The roadblocks represent the second phase in the team's work after a two-month amnesty on outstanding warrants failed. He said during that time only five percent of the outstanding number voluntarily cleared their fines.

Insp. Mouchette said Police established a dedicated line (299-4500) for those with outstanding warrants to call and arrange a court appearance or to make payment rather than face possible incarceration if nabbed by Police.

But response was disappointing and the roadblocks, one week into effect, are already proving more effective. Nevertheless, Chief Insp. Mouchette said Police will be operating the amnesty line in conjunction with their dragnet efforts and people are encouraged to take the initiative and call.

Some of those caught to date in the team's dragnet were whisked almost immediately to Magistrates' Court while the less fortunate spent one night or even two in the cells at Hamilton Police Station.

And those attending the jam-packed Plea Court session before Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves were asked to pay their fines on the spot or be remanded into custody until they found the money.

But tension may arise between the court and Police as the warrants crackdown continues.

On Tuesday Mr. Greaves tossed out a warrant against an elderly man for failing to appear in court for trial on driving without a licence charges because the warrant was four years old.

Mr. Greaves scolded Police and the Prosecution for failing to arrest the man for four years as he continued to live in Bermuda's small community.

He said the system had failed when that length of a delay occurs in the processing of justice.

But yesterday Insp. Mouchette said some of the outstanding warrants Police are pursuing date back to 1994.

The bulk are from 2000 and 2001, he added, but he has seen warrants for 1997 and 1998.

Police have also been accused of mistakenly picking up individuals who have cleared their fines.

“There are going to be a few hitches here and there,” Chief Insp. Mouchette said.

He said people that pay their fines late in the day could still be picked up in the early dragnet the next day because the computers would not yet have been updated.

But Chief Insp. Mouchette said those paying their fines are being issued receipts which they should carry with them.

The Warrant Team will be operating until at least January but Chief Insp. Mouchette said he may ask to extend it if it proves effective.