Police to work new shifts CID set to be `realigned' Sweeping changes in the way the Bermuda Police Service "does business'' are expected now that the core functions review has been completed.

Minister for Public Safety Paula Cox and Police Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay outlined the results of the review at a Press conference at Police Headquarters yesterday afternoon.

Ms Cox told the Press that the review was initiated by her because of concerns about manpower requirements.

She said the aim of the review was to study how the Police Service undertook its duties, prioritised its functions and allocated its resources, and to determine what improvements could be made to provide a Service which is more effective and efficient.

Ms. Cox said that the results of the review would form the basis for future decisions about the Police Service.

Mr. Lemay said the core functions review revealed former Police Commissioner Colin Coxall's 1995 Service Strategy did not succeed in changing the Service from a reactive to a proactive Police Service.

As a result, a plan of action through December 2000 has been created by the Commissioner which constitutes a "total re-engineering'' of the Police Service.

Ms Cox said deficiencies were revealed during the researh phase of the review and corrective action was taken straight away.

Immediate improvements consist of modification of the Police Service contract with the Bermuda Police Association, a new shift schedule designed to better use existing manpower and new human resource management systems.

The next stage in the metamorphosis will be the core value exercise which will assess the Service "from within''. At the same time, a Vision and renewed Mission Statement will be created.

A Police Strategy for the Community will be developed in October, 1999 with the objective of firmly involving the community in policing and crime management.

The Service will also create a crime management strategy which will lead to crime prevention initiatives and ultimately a realignment of CID functions.

Police review The Human Resources Department of the service will undergo extensive changes.

Competency profiles and new appraisal and promotion systems will be put in place in February, 2000 and in March, the department will develop a career management manual to set out requirements that officers will have to meet in order to progress through the ranks.

Finally, in December, 2000, Performance Indicators and an Assessment Process will be instituted to review the performance of the Service as an organisation and to ensure accountability.

Mr. Lemay stressed that the result of these individual initiatives will be a complete restructuring of the Police Service from a command and control system to one of shared leadership.

The Service is currently working to change the most basic aspects of its hierarchy by encouraging the newest recruits to participate in the decision-making process.

Mr. Lemay said developing interpersonal skills and leadership training was essential to ensure the success of new recruits as they progressed in the ranks of the Service.

He added that one of the objectives of these large scale changes was to create a Police Service where the emphasis was on service, and on delivering that service to the community.

Mr. Lemay said that each year the Police Service will issue a Directional Statement to set out the main objectives for the Service in that year.

Even after 2000, he said, the Police Service would continue to adapt and change as required.

Commissioner Lemay stressed that the overall objective was to create a Police Service that was modern in every way.

ONLY TWO OUT OF THREE OFFICERS `AVAILABLE' Only two out of three officers `available' Only two out of three of the Island's full establishment of 433 Police officers are available for traditional policing, the core functions review reveals.

And at any time the service can be some 116 officers short.

Other officers are required for administration, the study said.

Reasons for Police short-staffing in any given year include: Resignations and retirements: 30 members Annual leave: 30 members Training: 21 members Illness and reassignments: 30 members Annual retirement: 5 members