BPS: Not A Police Exercise But A ‘Staged Event’

Following an image being circulated on social media “depicting what appears to be an exercise involving armed police officers” outside City Hall, the police advised that it was “not a police exercise,” inquiries indicate the “image was captured during the filming of a staged event,” and the police are ”now urgently seeking to make contact” with the individuals “responsible for the staging of this event.”

The image depicts three men outside of City Hall with what appears to be guns, and also pictured in the image, but further away from City Hall, is a child and a woman. They show clearly in the image circulating, and a version with the woman mostly cropped out and a grey block placed over where the child is standing, and added text as to be clear the image is not actually the police, can be seen here.

A police spokesperson said, “The Bermuda Police Service [BPS] is aware of an image being circulated on social media, depicting what appears to be an exercise involving armed police officers, outside the City Hall building.

“The BPS wishes to make it clear, this was not a police exercise and there was no involvement by the BPS, or any of its officers.

“Preliminary inquiries indicate this image was captured during the filming of a staged event, for what we understand to be a local production.

“The BPS is now urgently seeking to make contact with the individuals identified as being responsible for the staging of this event, as to undertake such activity, without proper permissions and controls can cause unnecessary and very real alarm and distress to the public, not least with the enactment involving the use of imitation firearms.

“Indeed, the public should be aware that impersonating a police officer and possession of replica firearms without the proper authority or permission are offences punishable under law.

“Anyone with information regarding this matter is asked to call 211 or, the main police number, 295-0011.”

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