The removal of asbestos tiles at Police headquarters -- which left some officers in need of hospital treatment -- has been completed.

The work to dismantle floor tiles from McBeath Block at Prospect was halted by Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott last Friday after The Royal Gazette revealed some detectives had suffered side effects from chemical solvents.

About eight officers who occupied neighbouring offices to the empty block began to suffer with sore throats and general malaise after the contractors carrying out the work had failed to evacuate the surrounding area.

They needed hospital treatment, but were later released.

There were no asbestos particles in the air, but the chemical solvent used in the process had spread through the atmosphere to the surrounding office blocks. On Friday, Mr. Scott said he wanted the work to be stopped until he had received assurances that nobody else would be in danger.

Yesterday, Deputy Police Commissioner George Jackson said the work had been completed over the weekend.

Mr. Scott's Ministry contracted the asbestos abatement work out to a contractor, which further contracted it out to a company called Total Environmental Solutions.

Work to remove the tiles began last Monday, but by Wednesday some officers were beginning to feel ill.

Mr. Scott said his investigations into why officers were affected revealed that the contractors were using a new process to remove the tiles - a procedure that would not break the tiles up. For that, they needed to use a chemical solvent.

However, he said he was concerned after the firm told him that no matter which process they had used, there would still have been some level of discomfort to anyone in the area.

Mr. Scott said if that was the case he wanted to know why the neighbouring offices had not been evacuated prior to the work starting, to ensure that nobody was hurt.

Alternative office accommodation was found for the Police officers who had been affected, and the contractors were able to complete their work at the weekend.

Mr. Scott was not available for comment last night.

Mr. Jackson said at the press briefing yesterday: "The work has now been completed and we are in the process of sterilising and cleaning the offices the officers have to work in to make it more palatable.

"We will be back to work in the offices by Thursday (this week), or the latest Friday.'' He said the Police wanted to ensure that all of the officers were working in a safe environment.