The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) wishes to take this opportunity to issue a number of advisories to the public to ensure a peaceful and safe time during this year’s Cup Match holiday period. This is traditionally a busy time from a policing perspective and as such we will launch an initiative to increase Police patrols for the five days between Wednesday August 2^nd and Sunday August 6^th.

During the same period last year the BPS responded to the following incidents of note:

• 44 Alarms (none of which were true case)
• 40 Marine incidents
• 33 Arrests for a variety of offences
• 26 Road Traffic Collisions (5 resulting in personal injury)
• 18 Domestic violence reports
• 14 Burglaries
• 11 Assault complaints
• 9 Stolen Vehicles
• 9 Disturbance calls
• 7 Reports of loud music
• 7 Theft reports
• 4 Arrests for Impaired Driving
• 2 Robberies

The Police response is divided in two waves: a day shift to provide coverage for the cricket game, and a night shift to monitor public concerts and events. At its peak, the Police deployment will consist of 90 Police officers on duty. In addition to the regular patrols operating from the three Police stations, two Public Order Units (PSUs) will provide support as well as the Traffic, Marine, Vehicle Crime and Narcotics Units, and officers of the Bermuda Reserve Police.

It is important to notify the public that armed officers will also be on duty during this period and they will visibly be on patrol in and around the cricket game. Additional armed officers will be available for deployment in the event of a firearms or dangerous weapons incident taking place anywhere else in the Island.

We do not wish to unsettle the public by this announcement. Instead, we recognise that Bermuda residents have a fundamental right to enjoy the Island’s largest national holiday in an atmosphere of peace; and we recognise that we have a legislated responsibility to keep our residents safe. Our deployment this year is intended to give confidence to the community that the Police have the capacity to deal with threats and disruptions to public safety. We are intent on deterring those members of the public that might seek to disrupt the holiday with acts of violence and criminality. We will visibly demonstrate that capacity over the entire holiday period.

We must point out last year’s amendment to the Criminal Code regarding bladed and sharply pointed weapons. Our officers will be on the specific lookout for persons carrying weapons, both at the cricket grounds and on general patrol, and anyone found carrying weapons can expect to be arrested, held in custody for the weekend and placed before the courts.

The amendment also gives Police the power to stop and search vehicles and persons where we have information that violence is likely to occur at a location. This power was used last Saturday night in and around the area of a local concert. Should the Police have cause to invoke this power this week, we encourage the public to recognise their duty to assist us, to comply with the search and to help us minimize any inconvenience to the public generally.

We encourage all of Bermuda’s citizens to assist us by reporting early on any information regarding weapons, violence or criminal activity. Outside of the normal emergency 911 system, confidential and anonymous information can be passed to the Crimestoppers Hotline on 1-800-623-TIPS (8477).

It is encouraging to note that the daily collision rate last year was about 5½, which is below the current daily rate. However, we will still remind the public to exercise care, caution and courtesy while driving in order to keep these collisions down. Additionally, we encourage motorists to abstain from driving if they have consumed any quantity of alcohol. The idea is not to “stay inside the limit,” but rather to avoid mixing drinking and driving altogether.

The same is also true for boat operators; with 40 marine incidents last year to respond to, the community does not need the influence of alcohol to compound the busy water ways any further. We would also like to remind the boating public to ensure that their vessels are registered; that a current 2006 decal is displayed correctly, that they carry all required safety equipment; that they carry enough fuel and that they file a float plan. Given the increased marine traffic, boaters will need to exercise care and caution around other vessels at anchor, be on the lookout for swimmers and comply with speed limits. To this end, the 5 knot – no wake areas will be strictly enforced in order to calm the marine traffic.

Our final message this year is to remind the public that the Police are taking a no-nonsense approach to those elements of society that seek to act lawlessly in our Island home. In return, we ask the overwhelming majority of law-abiding citizens to help us do our job by being safe, acting responsibility and demonstrating old-fashioned Bermuda hospitality during this National Holiday. On behalf of the Commissioner of Police and the men and women of the Bermuda Police Service, I wish the entire community a safe and enjoyable Cup Match holiday.