Commissioner Colin Coxall has recommended increasing the maximum age for all Police Reserve recruits to 50.

This was revealed yesterday after two women complained that an old regulation, preventing women over 45 from joining, was discriminatory.

Fifty-year-old fitness instructor Corrinne Swan told The Royal Gazette she was shocked and disappointed that after two weeks of preparation for the volunteer post she was denied the job because of her age.

Mrs. Swan pointed out that there was nothing in the Bermuda Police Service literature informing applicants of such a restriction.

And she said Police had ample time to inform her and other applicants of the age requirement.

Mrs. Swan, who is a bereavement counsellor and has been recognised for her work with youngsters, decided to go public with her complaint after two letters and a request to meet with Mr. Coxall were not answered.

Her complaint also prompted another female applicant, who was denied a reserve post because of her age, to speak out.

And The Royal Gazette understands that there were some seven other women in the same situation.

Veteran girl guide leader and Duke of Edinburgh Award advisor Ruth Griffiths said she too was disappointed when her application was turned down.

In fact, Mrs. Griffiths contacted her Devonshire South MP John Barritt and United Bermuda Party candidate for the area Michael Dunkley after learning that she was not the only female to be turned down due to her age.

She also pointed out that there was no mention of the 45-year age limit when she applied and attended a recruitment drive in January.

"But Ch. Insp. (Vendal) Bridgeman contacted me two weeks ago, saying they had realised that I was older then 45,'' Mrs. Griffiths recalled. "I was totally upset.'' She estimated that the majority of people who attended the recruitment drive were women.

"I would say nearly half of the women there were over 40,'' she added. "This is usually because their children have grown up and they are able to have time to volunteer.'' Noting that she has been a girl guide leader for 25 years and sat on the Duke of Edinburgh Award committee, Mrs. Griffiths said: "I feel I have something I can offer to the Police Reserves. I work out everyday. I am fit. But I've been swept away by a 1951 regulation.

"This is not encouraging to Bermuda and those who want to help the community.

In my case I volunteer The youth are very, very important. I'm dealing with youth who are on the straight and narrow. But I want to help others who are not.'' However, Mrs. Griffiths said the experience had not deterred her interest in being a reserve officer.

"Bermuda is in a crisis and we need to do something about it,'' she stressed.

"We need to free up Police to allow them to deal with more specific problems.'' Mr. Barritt said yesterday he was "very sympathetic'' to female applicants' complaints. He said he had contacted Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness yesterday morning to see what could be done.

Mr. Edness confirmed that he had taken the matter up with Mr. Coxall.

"He has undertaken to review the qualifications for eligibility with the senior officers in the reserve,'' he said earlier yesterday.

"I've asked him to hang on to the applications made by Mrs. Griffiths and others.'' Following the meeting between Mr. Coxall and senior Police and Reserve officers, Police spokeswoman Evelyn James Barnett last night said: "Those members of the public who are willing and able to perform with maximum efficiency in service to the community, and who are willing and able to make such a contribution, are welcomed by the Reserves and encouraged to join.

"In that respect, and subject to approval by His Excellency the Governor, the Commissioner will recommend the adjustment of the maximum joining age for both men and women to 50 years and retain the maximum retiring age at 60.

"Those applicants previously turned down are invited to re-submit their application, pending approval by the Governor.''