Police Clarify Handling Of Different Warrants
The Bermuda Police Service is “seeking to distinguish between the enforcement of criminal warrants and the administrative processing of individuals who voluntarily present themselves to address outstanding traffic or parking matters.”
Acting Detective Superintendent Jason Smith, Community Policing Division, said “The Bermuda Police Service [BPS] wishes to provide clarification regarding the management and processing of individuals who are the subject of outstanding warrants, particularly warrants relating to traffic and parking matters.
“17,971 Outstanding Warrants & Approximately $10,483,386 In Outstanding Fines”
“There are currently 17,971 outstanding warrants, representing approximately $10,483,386 in outstanding fines. The volume of outstanding warrants places a significant demand on the resources of the Bermuda Police Service and the wider criminal justice system.
“The BPS continues to enforce outstanding warrants, and it is important to clarify that persons encountered by police who are the subject of criminal warrants will continue to be arrested and processed in accordance with the law. This includes persons identified through routine policing activity, traffic stops, arrests for other offences, or other operational encounters.
“Voluntarily Present Themselves At Hamilton Police Station”
“The BPS is, however, reviewing the process applicable to individuals who voluntarily present themselves at Hamilton Police Station specifically to answer outstanding traffic or parking matter warrants.
“At present, these individuals are arrested and processed through the police custody suite, held pending their court appearance, and subsequently returned to the police station following disposal of their matter so that they can be formally booked out. This process requires significant police and custody resources.
“Current figures indicate that the BPS receives approximately five to ten voluntary warrant walk-ins each day, with the booking process at both ends taking approximately 30 minutes per individual.
“The scale of warrant-related policing is further demonstrated by recent arrest figures. In the last seven days, the BPS made 57 arrests, of which 24 were for warrants.
“This means that approximately four out of every ten arrests during that period were warrant-related. In one instance, an individual arrested on Friday, 21 August 2026, was found to have five outstanding warrants.
“So Far In 2026, Made 530 Arrests For Warrants”
“So far in 2026, the BPS has made 530 arrests for warrants. These arrests have frequently arisen in circumstances where individuals were already being detained or arrested for other offences, including:
- Dangerous driving;
- Driving while disqualified;
- Driving under the influence;
- Possession of a bladed article;
- Drug offences;
- Assault;
- Wilful damage;
- Assault on police;
- Violently resisting police;
- Cannabis cultivation;
- Handling stolen goods;
- Trespassing; and
- Burglary.
“The BPS is therefore seeking to distinguish between the enforcement of criminal warrants and the administrative processing of individuals who voluntarily present themselves to address outstanding traffic or parking matters.
“Improve The Efficiency Of The Warrant Process”
“Under this new process, and with the support of the Senior Magistrate, individuals who voluntarily present themselves for the purpose of addressing an outstanding traffic or parking warrant would attend Hamilton Police Station and present themselves. A police officer will then escort them to the Magistrates’ Court, for the 9:30am plea court session, rather than being arrested and processed through the police custody suite.
“The proposed arrangement would require the individual to attend the Hamilton Police Station Monday, Wednesday or Friday between 8am and 8:45am.
“This Warrant-Walk-In is intended to improve the efficiency of the warrant process while ensuring that outstanding matters continue to be addressed through the appropriate judicial process.
“Voluntary Walk-In Arrangement Does Not Apply To Criminal Warrants”
“Importantly, this voluntary walk-in arrangement does not apply to criminal warrants. Where a person is encountered by police and is found to be the subject of an outstanding criminal warrant, the individual will continue to be arrested, detained and brought before the court as soon as practicable in accordance with established procedures.
“The BPS recognises the importance of enforcing outstanding warrants and recovering outstanding fines. At the same time, given the significant volume of outstanding warrants and the demands placed on police resources, it is appropriate to explore more efficient methods of dealing with individuals who voluntarily come forward to resolve their outstanding traffic and parking matters.
“Individuals Remain Accountable For Their Outstanding Obligations”
“The objective is not to diminish the enforcement of warrants, but rather to ensure that police resources are proportionately and effectively deployed while individuals remain accountable for their outstanding obligations through the courts.”
“There are currently 17,971 outstanding warrants, representing approximately $10,483,386 in outstanding fines”.
Well done BPS!
Can we not have a system where you can er, type in your name / date of birth perhaps and see if there are any warrants outstanding in your name?
If they’re pulling over every man and his dog and have only made 530 arrests on 18k o/s warrants, one would guess that many of these people have left the island or died!
The legitimate number is probably a fraction of 18k.
How is the collection of that $10,483,386 in fines going?
$10,483,386 / 17,971 = $583.35 average per warrant.
BPS + paper pushers + Court personnel = oh, $2,500+ expense/cost overall per warrant?
As long as Bermudians know that the Police are having problems enforcing these outstanding warrants, only made worst each time more warrants are added, no serious effort will be made by Bermudians to settle the warrants. Its just Hazard County 2.0, Roscoe and dem Dukes all over again! Dem Dukes, dem Dukes, dem Dukes!!!
There’s also the issue of gross incompetence. I know of someone who was arrested on a warrant for a matter he had been to court for, paid the fine, and had points added to his license, proving he had complied with the law.
Similar to that one this week that was 27 years old.
18k?!!! There needs to be a publicly accessible database. This is not rocket science. Search your name and DOB and then go deal with your business…
The thought of having to appear before a magistrate for a minor traffic or parking violation is intimidating. I bet you would be able to collect much more money by implementing a system where people can either walk in to the police station to pay the fine and be done with it, mail in the fee or pay online. Of course, a violation could be required to appear, such as high-rate of speeding, driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, etc, which would be indicated on the ticket. If someone wants to contest the ticket, they could put that in writing within say 2 weeks and that would require review and possibly a court date. You could also make the fee due and payable within 30 days of issue or there will be a penalty added for each amount of time it has not been paid. By simplifying the process to pay and removing the intimidation, I truly believe you would be able to collect those fees and future fees much quicker. Create an amnesty period so people can use one of the above payment systems without penalty, then move forward after that period with the penalty fees. This can also free up police officers to concentrate on more urgent matters. And if need be, to help the police officers in rounding up those more urgent matters, consider bringing reinforcements by using the Bermuda military reserves.
“The thought of having to appear before a magistrate for a minor traffic or parking violation is intimidating”
Minor traffic violations and parking violations are dealt with by fixed penalty fine. A person who commits such an offence can pay the fine and never enter a Magistrates Court.
Those who commit more serious offences must appear before a Magistrate.
If you see the amount of these warrants of this century wait till the Speed Cameras go on line, the 60,000 population will have outstanding warrants and we all will be criminals so take care of first things first before going into second hear of things PLP, leave it alone, speed cameras, cause keep Bermuda as Another World!
Wright!