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Increased Police presence at high-risk football matches

After another machete attack at a football game last Sunday, the Bermuda Football Association (BFA) and the Bermuda Police Service have come up with several measures to curb gang violence and drugs at football games.

The emergency meeting was held yesterday between Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith and the BFA executive in the aftermath of a game at Southampton Rangers when one man was allegedly hit by a machete. Police will target ?high risk? games when gangs from different parts of the Island come to support their teams, BFA president Larry Mussenden said last night.

The Police Service Unit and narcotics units along with canine units will be in attendance at those games.

?If there is a high risk game we will engage the paid services of the Police to have a Sgt. and several officers with radios in contact with Police operations,? Mr. Mussenden said.

Each club will have five security stewards ? properly trained by Police to patrol the grounds ? meaning at any game ten stewards wearing orange vests and radios would be in attendance.

Permanent bans will be enforced against persons deemed to be security risks, he said.

Police will be called to remove anyone should they sneak in onto the grounds.

Security wands will be used to search fans at the gate and public address systems and CCTV cameras will be installed.