FBI agents have given more than 50 Police officers a master class in cracking gang violence.

Two Supervisory Special Agents (SSAs) and two Caribbean Legal Attache officers (Legats) held a two-day seminar for the Bermuda Police Service and Department of Public Prosecutions.

It led to 56 officers of all ranks becoming certified in the FBI's 'Street Gang Investigative Course'. And top echelons of the force have confirmed there is more training to come.

Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva told The Royal Gazette: "This is the first step to a series of initiatives that are all designed to help us improve our tactics, increase our capacity and resources, and provide some relief to our officers, who at this point are getting overworked and overstretched.

"The other goal is to synthesise working partnerships with the other agencies in the criminal justice system."

Mr. DeSilva said he could not disclose the anti-gang tactics recommended by the FBI, but said the US and Bermuda had proven similarities.

"Our gangs model their behaviour after US gangs, particularly on the East Coast," he said.

The Commissioner said the FBI provided "a console of operational tactics, some of which we will consider".

In his closing remarks to the seminar at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, Mr. DeSilva stressed community involvement was paramount. "This is very much a community effort and a partnership effort. We see ourselves as part of the bigger picture, taking a lead role in the fight against crime, and gang crime specifically," he said.

"We have to start a more robust and joined-up response with some of our partners, to make sure the whole of the criminal justice system is joined up and that we tackle crime in a holistic way."

The FBI was called in to assist Government and the Bermuda Police Service towards the end of last year after the number of gang-related shootings rocketed. On Sunday the murder of Perry Puckerin, 34, marked the fourth fatal shooting on the Island in just under a month and the fifth since May.

Chief Inspector Sean Field-Lament, who heads up the BPS Armed Response Unit, said the arrival of the FBI was timely. Agents from the Safe Streets and Gang Unit arrived on Monday less than 12 hours after the death of Mr. Puckerin.

"We picked them up at the airport and took them straight to the Hamilton Parish Workman's Club (where Mr. Puckerin was killed) to see what we are dealing with," said Chf. Insp. Field-Lament.

"Their arrival couldn't have been any more timely. They are getting off the plane and there's a homicide, and a particularly cold-hearted one at that. I also took them on a tour of the trouble spot and they identified traits they have overseas as well."

Describing the training seminar as "a successful exercise", Chf. Insp. Field-Lament said: "There was a real frank exchange of ideas."

This not only included tactics but gang culture. Despite differences in numbers the FBI are used to gangs of "100,000-strong" in US cities, whereas Bermuda has a hardcore 250-300 gang members, there were similarities.

Chf. Insp. Field-Lament said: "We talked about the whole lifestyle and the choices gang members make and the culture. They also talked about the neighbourhood gangs and how to tackle that problem.

"They said the Police are only one part of it and it really needs a uniformed concerted effort from across the board."

He added: "The biggest thing I'd like to see is the community to get involved. There's people out there who know stuff and their help would be vital in helping us."

Chf. Insp. Field-Lament said the FBI had endorsed the approach the BPS was taking. "They certainly believe we're going down the right path. It's just a question of persevering," he said.

"They looked at our strategy and the way we are operationally tackling the problem, and gave us advice on other avenues to go down in the Department of Justice.

"It was nice to get validation for our efforts and we are looking forward to further partnerships."