consideration by Commissioner Mr. Colin Coxall following a second incident in less than a week involving an attack on a Police officer.

Last week the Bermuda Police Association called for adequate safety equipment and extendable batons for Police protection in the wake of a serious stabbing attack on a Police officer last Friday.

But yesterday Mr. Coxall said the Association would have to make a formal request before he could properly consider it.

In yesterday's incident, a 30-year-old Sandys man produced a knife in the course of a violent struggle with a Police officer who attempted to arrest him for drunk driving.

Just after 1.40 a.m., the Police officer spotted the man on Middle Road, Sandys driving erratically. As the officer attempted to arrest him, the man pushed him away and fled. After a brief chase on foot the officer caught the man and a violent struggle ensued in which the knife was pulled.

However, the Police officer eventually managed to disarm and handcuff the offender who will appear in Magistrates' Court in due course.

The incident comes on the heels of the stabbing early on Friday morning of Sgt. Ron Beech who remains hospitalised at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for serious stab wounds.

Kamal Trott, 19, has been charged with wounding Sgt. Beech.

Protective equipment Yesterday, Mr. Coxall said Police officers had been victims of three stabbings in three years. He added there had been eight violent crimes against Police officers per year over the past three years. This, he said, was "eight incidents too many''.

While noting that on these occasions, protective gear was unlikely to have helped officers, he said he was prepared to consider introducing it into Bermuda.

Possible equipment includes longer and heavier batons and heavy duty torches.