The Council is made up of the Premier and Ministers. Additional individuals can also be permitted to attend. In this meeting, Ministers of National Security, Justice, Education, and Youth, Social Development and Seniors attended, as well as the Deputy Governor, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Collector of Customs.

The Council meeting discussed matters relating to internal security and policing, with an emphasis on violent crime and in particular gun violence. The convening of the Council followed discussion with the Premier, who advised the Governor that such a convening would be timely, appropriate, and welcomed by Government.   

The Commissioner and Deputy of Police briefed the Governor’s Council on the operational context. The Director of Public Prosecutions outlined the challenges her department faced in bringing offenders to justice, and what legislative changes might assist in facing these challenges. The Collector of Customs noted the issues facing her department in the prevention and detection of firearms from entering Bermuda. The Governor’s Council discussed the issues raised in detail and explored measures that could assist across all areas of law enforcement. The Premier reiterated his position that the necessary resources would be made available from Government to keep the people of Bermuda safe and secure.

The Commissioner of Police, Director of Public Prosecution and the Collector of Customs were given direction in the Council, consistent with the Council members respective Constitutional responsibilities, to explore, at pace, new measures to respond to the challenges. The Council shared the view that the status quo was insufficient and change was needed. The measures being explored included: increasing the scale and pace of recruitment of BPS officers to provide for greater police presence, more capacity and capability to respond to complex crime, and to further enhance community engagement; measures to enhance investigative capacity and capability through temporary secondment of specialist officers; procurement of new equipment to enhance investigative and response capability; procurement of new equipment to enhance border security; identification of training to enhance law enforcement response; and, strengthening collaboration between customs and police, including through greater exchange of information and personnel. The Director of Public Prosecution’s proposals for new and amending legislation, consistent with Constitutional human rights protections, would be developed at pace and put to Government to consider.

The Governor, with the Premier’s full support, will convene another meeting of the Governor’s Council in mid-September, which will provide an opportunity to review progress of the matters discussed, before focussing on preventative measures aimed at tackling gun violence at its source.