Service.

They will fill the ranks of Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner and Superintendent.

Last night the move was welcomed by Shadow Home Affairs Minister Alex Scott.

"It is long overdue. The question is why did it take so long for this to happen.

"It looks as though someone somewhere has not been putting his shoulders to the wheel.'' The programme has been approved by Governor Lord Waddington after talks with Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness and Police Commissioner Colin Coxall.

Under it, the Commissioner and the Public Service Commission chairman will pick a small number of Policemen for intensive training in Bermuda and overseas.

The officers will form the Executive Development Group and report direct to the Commissioner.

Each group member will have: A portfolio of responsibility, in addition to his existing duties; A personalised Senior Command Training Programme; and A "public visibility'' within their portfolio.

News of the programme was released yesterday by Lord Waddington and Mr.

Edness.

They pointed out the Commissioner would report to both of them on the progress of each Executive Development Group member.

And a member could be replaced by another candidate if he failed to reach acceptable standards.

Officers of Chief Inspector rank and above will be invited to apply and selection will be made after an interview chaired by Mr. Coxall. The PSC chairman will also be present.

The initiative will be in addition to existing training and development programmes for officers.

The post of Deputy Commissioner will continue to be filled by an overseas appointment for 18 months.

Last night, Mr. Scott said the programme was probably two or three years late.

"If it had been in place when it was supposed to have been, before the arrival of Mr. Coxall and his Deputy, we would arguably have had someone to choose for the post of Deputy.'' Mr. Scott did not expect the programme to be exclusive to Bermudians.

But he hoped Bermudians would be favoured for Immigration reasons once a short-list of possible candidates had been drawn up.

Currently the Police Service, headed by a non-Bermudian, was involved in some turmoil, including litigation.

The Supreme Court case over the redundancy of ex-Assistant Commissioner Wayne Perinchief was an example, said Mr. Scott.

"It would appear Mr. Perinchief has made a robust case.'' Young officers were also upset over having their careers cut short for one reason or another -- despite passing exams, Mr. Scott continued.

"We are truly alarmed by what is happening.'' He added: "We are getting long-term officers who want us to lobby for Mr.

Perinchief to get him back on Force and take up the post of Deputy Commissioner. But I don't know if Mr. Perinchief is so inclined.'' Mr. Scott said many moves by Mr. Coxall had proved unpopular and morale had slipped.