Two out of four of the top officers in the Bermuda Police will not take a gruelling career assessment and development programme designed to give senior cops a crack at the two top jobs.

But only three out of the eligible 30-plus officers between Inspector and Assistant Commissioner ranks will not take part in the scheme.

Yesterday Supt. Vic Richmond -- head of the CID -- and Supt. Alan Bissell from the four-strong Senior Police Officers' Association confirmed they would undergo the exhaustive scheme in February.

Assistant Commissioner Harold Moniz -- currently Acting Commissioner -- will not take part.

But he said: "The extended interview is designed to identify senior Police officers for further training and promotion to the Association of Senior Police Officers -- Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner. The successful passing of the extended interview usually secures a position on the Senior Command Course at the National Police College at Bramshill in the UK. I have already attended the course.'' The scheme is based on a UK model designed for senior officers up to the rank of Superintendent. A question mark, however, remains over participation by Supt. Campbell Simons, who declined to comment.

But it is believed to be unlikely that he will take the test -- but for personal reasons, not out of opposition to the principle. Only one other officer -- believed to be a Chief Inspector -- will not sit the test, again for personal reasons.

The announcements knock persistent rumours that a mutiny was imminent over the introduction of the career and development scheme. The news came as Government House confirmed senior Police officers will enter the programme with a clean sheet -- despite "pen pictures'' by a top UK expert thought to be critical of some.

Deputy Governor Peter Willis said: "These weren't interviews -- it wasn't a selection process.'' He was speaking after the Police Association insisted that comments made about individual senior officers by Her Majesty's Inspector of Dependent Territories Police Lionel Grundy in a secret appendix to his original 1994 report on the state of the force would not be used in a major career assessment and development programme due to start in February.

Mr. Willis said: "Mr. Grundy said that the notes he made consisted of personal impressions and pen pictures.'' The Police Association -- which represents officers up to Chief Inspector -- quoted a letter from Governor Thorold Masefield to Acting Commissioner Jean-Jacques Lemay pledging that the earlier interviews were never intended to form part of an assessment programme. Mr. Willis agreed with the Police Association's statements on the Governor's letter.

He said: "These were never intended to be part of an assessment process. The process is a developmental thing -- it's career management and career development.

"Everybody has potential and everybody has talent. The job of any organisation is to develop that talent to its maximum potential. Everybody also has different levels they will attain -- some will aspire to be Commissioner.'' The statement from the Police Association also criticised The Royal Gazette which suggested some senior officers were not prepared to co-operate with the assessment programme.

The statement said: "The Bermuda Police Association and its membership has been very actively involved in meetings and discussions with those responsible for the evaluation process. Support has been given to the Acting Commissioner of Police in his efforts to arrange the extended interviews -- a large majority of Chief Inspectors and Inspectors have now indicated a desire to participate.'' Mr. Willis added: "We are pleased to see the Police response to this assessment process, which is encouraging.

"It's a highly objective management and development tool. There is undoubtedly potential in the Bermuda Police Service -- but it has to be managed.

"People have to be given the opportunity to gain the experience they will need.''