Thu, 2025-05-29

Today, the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) has published its Official Statistics Report for 2023, showing that crime in Bermuda remains near historic lows, with last year recording the second-lowest crime total since comparable records began in 2000.

Commissioner Darrin Simons commented: "The 2023 statistics show that Bermuda remains one of the safest places to live, work, and visit. With 3,065 total offences, we've maintained the downward trend we've seen over recent years, though we did see a modest 5.6% increase from 2022."

The BPS attributes much of its success to strong community partnerships and the dedication of its officers and staff.

"Making Bermuda safer isn't something we can do alone," Commissioner Simons emphasised. "These results reflect the cooperation between police and the community, along with the tireless work of our officers. Moving forward, we'll continue to strengthen these partnerships while focusing on areas that need improvement."

The report highlights several positive trends, including significant reductions in motor vehicle thefts (-75 offences) and continued low levels of firearms incidents compared to historical figures. Property crime, while showing a slight increase from 2022, remains at levels far below those seen in previous decades.

"We know there are still challenges," Commissioner Simons added. "We've seen increases in residential burglaries and fraud offences that we're actively addressing. And any life lost on our roads or to violence is one too many."

For the first time, the BPS has included Professional Standards Department data in its annual report, providing unprecedented transparency about complaints against police officers and their resolutions.

"Publishing our Professional Standards statistics marks a significant step forward in our commitment to accountability," said Commissioner Simons. "The public deserves to know how we handle complaints and maintain professional standards. I'm pleased to report that public complaints decreased slightly in 2023, with none requiring formal misconduct proceedings."

The BPS acknowledges the 2023 statistics are being published later than desired. The report shows it took 355 working days from year-end to publication—a significant improvement from previous years but still not meeting our goals for timely reporting.

"We've made substantial progress in reducing our reporting timeline—from 707 working days in 2016 to 355 days for this report—but we're not satisfied yet," Commissioner Simons stated. "We've implemented new data management systems and reporting processes that will further reduce these delays. Our goal is to provide these vital statistics to the public much more promptly."

The full Official Statistics Report for 2023 is available on the Bermuda Police Service website at www.bermudapolice.bm.

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