Police Address Job Layoff Reports

March 14, 2011

police badge logoThe Bermuda Police responded to reports that they have lost nine of their staff, specifically specialists who investigate murders and shootings, with Acting Commissioner of Police Mike Jackman saying “The departure of the overseas investigators was anticipated as their contracts were set to expire this month. Their last 2 engagements over 12 months served the purpose of adding capacity at a time when it was most needed.”

This morning [Mar.14] the Royal Gazette reported that “The staff members were retired senior police officers from the UK, brought to Bermuda as consultants in January 2010 following an outbreak of gun crime…The loss of the nine consultants means the murder investigation team, which is called the special investigations unit, has seen its total staff depleted by approximately a third.”

A Police spokesman said, “We were asked about 9 UK consultants within the Serious Crime Unit not having their contracts renewed and whether it had anything to do with the budget cuts despite $2.7 million being allocated to the Serious Crime Unit in this year’s budget.”

In response, Acting Commissioner of Police Mike Jackman said the following,“The Bermuda Police Service is still working with the Minister of National Security to look at the impact of the budget on our operations and developing plans so that there is no fall off in the energy being put into addressing gangs, guns and violent crime.”

“The departure of the overseas investigators was anticipated as their contracts were set to expire this month. Their last 2 engagements over 12 months served the purpose of adding capacity at a time when it was most needed. The Bermuda Police Service is committed to preserving and building on the successes we have had in the investigation of serious crime.”

Earlier this month, ZBM News carried a report saying there may possibly be layoffs in the Bermuda Police Service due to cuts made in the 2011/12 Budget. Gary Moreno reported that officers being laid off “is a possibility” and a “last resort.” He went onto report that the Commissioner of Police met with officers to appraise them what the reductions could mean and to discuss possible concessions, including overtime. ZBM reported that $7 million was paid in overtime in 2010, while for 2011 around $3 million has been allocated for overtime pay.

In response to that report, Minister of National Security Lt. Col. David Burch offered the following on March 4th, “I met with the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police this afternoon, as I do every Thursday, prior to the BPS Town Hall meeting with officers. I wish to reassure the people of Bermuda that the successes achieved in public safety and restoring safer communities will not be sacrificed in the name of funding challenges.”

“The BPS will continue to provide the coverage and targeted enforcement that has yielded the impressive results of arrests and charges through 2010. This will require some deployment management on the part of the Commissioner and he and I will continue to discuss how best to meet the needs of the public in a way that does not “burn-out” the hard-working men and women of the BPS.”

Minister Burch also spoke on the issue at last week’s Town Hall in St George’s saying, “No, we’re not getting rid of Policemen. And the reality of the situation is if we’ve gotten the numbers wrong, then I will do as I did last July, I will go back to my Cabinet collegues and ask for more money and they will give it to me. Because we are committed to not allowing the success we’ve had with Police arresting crime in the country to stop. Bottom line.”

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Category: All, Crime, News

Comments (13)

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  1. Mad Prophet says:

    Commissioner of Police Michael DeSilva what is going through your mind, has it failed you???

    Do you know what it is like to have your sleep shattered, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG.

    First you wanted to send 5 officers packing now you are sending 9.

    You must have a plan!

    How are all these guns and ammunition arriving on these shores?

    Wake up Bermuda!”

    If the murder victims were of a lighter persuasion the commissioner would be adding 19 officers.

    They are silent whisperers in Bermuda pss, pss….let them harm each other.

    The Mad Prophet says,

    “Sticks and stone may break my bones but guns do not excite me”.

    • itwasn'tme says:

      man you’re acting like a cow in labor……the consultants have been working with the SOC for some time now and the skill set have been passed on to the locals…..jeeze use your brain before having a baby man!

      • Mad Prophet says:

        Troy Anthony,36, an artist well known for his conscious style, sings:

        “They wanna kill each other/Black on black there is too much of that/We need more love, we need to bring it back./ Good over evil, we pray for the people/Stop the killing, let’s stop the sequel/Life is precious not worthless/Clean up your act and stop the lip service.”

        How are all these guns and ammunition arriving on these shores?

        Who is using all the heroin, cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy).

        Moo, Moo, Moo

        • Critical Thinker says:

          “How are guns and ammunition coming on these shores” Well hate to disappoint you, but there is no great mystery here, to simply put it, the same way the drugs come in. A typical hand gun weighs about 15oz, give or take a few oz. a pound of weed, well, you get the picture. So the moral of the story is, if you can bring a pound of weed, what’s so hard about bringing in a hand gun, and we all know that hundreds, if not thousands of pounds are weed is imported each year, and other drugs for that sake.

          Now add to the equation that they are in “war mode” (the gangs)what make anyone think that the high powered assault weapons are not here and are just waiting to be used. How would they get an or many assault weapons? well the same logic applies, if you can bring in a hundred pounds of weed, then surly you can bring in a few assault rifles along with it.

          Look folks, this is not nuclear physics, illegal drugs is a very lucrative business and people from all segments of this society are benefiting from the profits. And if you want to take a guess at who might be benefiting, well just look around you, it’s not hard to figure out, but hard to prove.

    • True blue says:

      And furthermore , it’s not the commish’s fault , it’s the fault of your damn gov’t who doesn’t have a clue how to handle taxpayers money. And probably never will. That’s why we’s in this massive mess !

      • Hmmmmm says:

        Nice try but no dice i’m afraid. The Police have the money, the end of the contracts is purely for the Commissioner. Wonder how these consultants managed to be good consultants? Thought they were all bad and supposed to be cut, cut cut…..gotta wonder too if their country of origin plays a part in certain media’s interest in their departure.

      • Mad Prophet says:

        The last commish took heat for not getting the job done.

        The same flames should burn under the backside of the new commish.

        The Buck Stops at that seat!!!!!

  2. Terry says:

    Not even worthy of reply. Oops!!! Just did.

  3. BDA says:

    just curious…they have made alot of important cuts in the budget. Any MP saleries cut?

    • Politricks SMH says:

      No way that only makes too much sense, like I don’t see y they all need to have GP cars and personal cars.GP cars us the tax payers pay for and the gas we also pay for. I say cut ya budget buy investing in a bike and p.o for a rainsuit and basket HELLO see how much money we cut down on than. You don’t see or hear anything about them making sacrifices but asking us the ppl to make sacrifices. I don’t care what party you are on UBP or PLP or whatever else party is out there, all of them politicans have one thing in mind and one thing in mind only the almighty dollar. Not whats best for the people of this country yes they might go in wanting to make a difference, but once they are in all that goes out the window. SMH

  4. GPS says:

    RoboCop (Sir Paynter) should be the Commissioner!!!…He’s the only Police Officer you on the beat EVERYDAY!!!

    You can tell he really loves Policing!!….He sacrifices family beach days, family vacations to Vermont, Florida, etc…

  5. Hmmmmm says:

    by the way, this is the first time in living memory no-one has mentioned the costs of these consultants. Can we find out what they earned and the full package they received for their contracts? or do we have a right to know only when its other consultants ? hmmmmm.

  6. Observing In BDA says:

    Well this brings us to an interesting question now doesn’t it , $7million in OT to guard, travel and keep our beloved former Premeir Ewart Brown, violent crime rises, the police and other unions march on parliament to get the BPS a pay increase, crime still rises.
    DO you see the trend people, they are not really interested in crime numbers becasue if they were they would knock on the criminals doors as they know who they are and do something about the crime, but it is tough when you have to arrest your brother/sister, cousin, nephew, or any other family that is involved in the criminal element. Or better yet when you look up to the very people that are running this country that are involved in the criminal activity that they vehemently trying to erradicate.