During a press conference this afternoon, the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) unveiled their strategic and operational plan for the next five years.
Commissioner of Police Stephen Corbishley stated that the plan unveils what they plan to do with the resources that they currently have to address the demand from the public. According to him, this includes everything from organized crime, where their job is to keep the island as safe as possible, to issues that face smaller parish communities.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Darrin Simons, the plan highlights the Service’s values of trust, learning and courtesy.
“Relationships that exist within high-trust environments are much more effective and efficient,” Mr. Simons said. “ Learning is a key component of any job and policing in particular. Courtesy is the oil that helps any relationship run smoothly and the BPS needs to ensure that we have courtesy in everything that we do.”
Also contained in the plan are the BPS’ four main vision statements; to protect all victims particularly the most vulnerable, to provide first-class service to the community, to work in partnership with community organizations to solve issues and to make a positive difference within the community.
According to Mr. Simmons, the BPS’ five strategic priorities for the next five years are as follows: to reduce serious crime and protect vulnerable persons with increased mental health training for officers; to raise the community’s confidence with the police, to reduce harm on Bermuda’s roads and to develop more digital policing, including cybercrime response capability and beginning to develop the next version of CCTV footage.
“ One of the things that the public want [from the BPS] is [more] visibility and attention to issues when they are contacted,” Commissioner Corbishley said. “We will be working to maximize the amount of officers who are out within the community. This increased level of visibility will be the most noticeable change within the community.”
He also mentioned, however, that the general public will not see a lot of the policies contained within the plan, as parts of policing are designed that way.
“Policing is like an iceberg; people see a few things on top, but there are many, many things that lie [unseen] underneath,” he said.
Commissioner Corbishley believes that, because 80 percent of the BPS’ budget goes towards people, their biggest challenge right now is “ keeping their assets well-trained, professional, motivated and ready to serve Bermuda as public servants.”
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