Policing Harbour Nights

Earlier this year, the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) had its budget upped to $53.9 million. It was an increase of 7%, almost three times the current rate of inflation. So why is the Service now demanding that it be paid to police Harbour Nights?

A press release posted yesterday on the Bermuda Police Service website (subsequently removed) said:

We have developed a policy for policing all events in Bermuda, in accordance with other jurisdictions. Special events in an enclosed area where a fee is accepted, will be policed by Extra Duty Officers. This policy has been in effect for years and the Corporation of Hamilton was notified last year that the policing requirements for the interior of the Harbour Nights area will be in accordance with the Special Events Policy.

However Harbour Nights does not take place "in an enclosed area where a fee is accepted". It's free, and describing it as an "enclosed area" because of a few road closures seems a stretch. Will the police be adopting a similar policy at the Bermuda Day Parade and the Front Street Mile?

Harbour Nights is a public event. The BPS has a responsibility to police it.

Comments

[SmokingGun on 26.04.06 at 13:48]

Shake down on Front Street.

[charles on 26.04.06 at 13:53]

In most jurisdictions this would be considered a special event that would be patrolled by detail police not a regular patrol. The main reason for this is so staffing levels will not suffer for regular patrols of your neighborhoods. As with any special event any normal organiser would be smart enough to build security costs into their budget.

[charles on 26.04.06 at 14:07]

Limy,

I tend to disagree with you here. The main road is closed off and confined to certain borders therefore it is an enclosed area. While admission to the public may be free I do believe(correct me if I am wrong)they charge each vendor a fee to set up, therefore it is a special event run by the Chamber of Commerce. They have the responsibility to provide all necessities such as clean up and security. I belive the police department patrols Hamilton by auto but would be unable to do so for this event requiring alternate staff to do this by foot.

[silencedogood on 26.04.06 at 14:27]

Thanks for supporting the tourism and retail industry officers.

[Full Fullish on 26.04.06 at 15:32]

Charles, that's crazy. Are you saying that due to a few baracades being up, that suddenly THE WHOLE OF FRONT STREET is out of their jurisdiction?

Don't they usually beat the street along Front Street anyways, I know very well that they sit across from Oasis on a Friday and Saturday night as well, what's the difference between this and a Wednesday night?

I will admit that having officers on the baracades waving traffic to a diversionary street is a waste of the officers time as anyone can do this.

[Of Many Words on 26.04.06 at 15:35]

If I had a private party and there was a disturbance, the police would show up... do I get an invoice after?

[thisgrassman on 26.04.06 at 15:51]

First reform the Corporation of Hamilton so it is a properly transparent and democratic municipal body.

Once this is done then allow the Cof H to have their own police force. Why not? - seems like they are going to be more and more asked to foot the bill for a police presence in the City? Last time I checked cities all over the world have their own police departments.

[charles on 26.04.06 at 17:05]

Charles, that's crazy. Are you saying that due to a few baracades being up, that suddenly THE WHOLE OF FRONT STREET is out of their jurisdiction?

Full Fullish, It is not as crazy as you think. IF the chamber of Commerce/Corporation of Hamilton has closed this part of Front Street to regular traffic for an event that they have charged vendors for(again correct me if I am wrong) then it could be conceived as a private entity, and while technically still within the jurisdiction of the Police force it is not unreasonable to say that special details need to be assigned to provide protection that is outside of their normal duties.

[charles on 26.04.06 at 17:08]

of many words,

No you wouldn't get an invoice as you would probably get a summons instead. What you have is a private party that has bothered the neighbors you didn't invite, this is part of the cops everyday duty as it is a local disturbance not an organised public event. If you had this party at a club or hall you probably would have had to hire a detail anyway.

[Full Fullish on 26.04.06 at 18:06]

"while technically still within the jurisdiction of the Police force it is not unreasonable to say that special details need to be assigned to provide protection that is outside of their normal duties."

Their normal duties of providing protection that is?

No I get what you are saying, that more cops in Hamilton will have to be diverted to watcing Front Street. Kind of a slap in the face as you usually find most of the cops in Hamilton on or around Front St while "on the beat" anyways.....

[curious on 26.04.06 at 18:07]

Previously Reserve Police were used to increase the police presence on Front Steet without having to drain the regular force.

It seems odd to stop using volunteers and then ask for money to cover the self inflicted increased costs.

[Two Cents on 26.04.06 at 19:15]

Curious,

The Bermuda Police Reserve Service is paid a stipend for their services, they aren't volunteers. They are paid a basic stipend once they have done a certain amount of hours (I believe that it's 16 hours per month), after that I beleive they get a little more for every block of 16 hours that they do.

[Cancundreaming on 26.04.06 at 20:43]

Fullfullish,

Harbour nights are not a regular night, the fact that they CAN barricade front street points to this reality. Interestingly enough you point to the policing of our entertainment district on Friday and Saturday nights; I would point out that here in Toronto, nightclubs and bars in the Richmond Area (club district) have a specific tax that is used to augment the Toronto’s police service budget because of the increase of presence and resources needed to police that area at that time in night. I suspect this a happens in a number of other cities across the world.

I’m not suggesting a tax be introduced for Hamilton businesses', as I think we must realize there are significant differences between the city of Hamilton, and a city like Montreal, Toronto, Chicago etc.. (which is why thisgrassman’s suggestion that the CoH have their own police force seems a bit silly to me, not to mention I’m not sure it makes economic sense for the CoH)

Of Many Words,

Your example of a private party is dissimilar to HN. Yes of course the police will respond to your private party and no you won’t get an invoice. However, HN policing isn’t simply responding to disturbances that are called in to the 911 system. The police force not only have to have a presence at HN, but a fairly large presence. So to use your example, do you think it’s reasonable for the police force to direct parking/traffic for the guests at your party and also have a number of officers patrol your property?

[Ethiops on 26.04.06 at 23:33]

$53.9 million! Damn I hope mandatory therapy sessions come with that...

[Seán Pòl Ó Creachmhaoil on 27.04.06 at 06:07]

Hmm...not really relevant, but I remember the NYPD, a few years ago, threatening not to police Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's NYC concert unless he removed "41 Shots" from his playlist...

I've come here directly from the "The Irony Point" page...Is this sarcasm, or irony?: http://www.hypocritae.com/?ART=30

Anyway...It seems reasonable for the Police to be provided with additional funds for events of this nature, being there're only 3 cops on duty, normally, at that time of night. I reckon they're going to have to formulate a new policy to explain it though, as the one they've used obviously isn't applicable. I expect that's why the removed the notice...

I expect this will become a pressing issue, once "Court Street Nights" is added to the schedule....And I remember when American marines weren't allowed on Court Street after dark, let alone tourists....