Over the last several months, Bermuda's been rocked by too many tragic incidents. Too many people and too many families have suffered trauma resultant from crime and violence. An outraged public rightfully called for action, and, we are taking action.

A few weeks ago, we highlighted a series of comprehensive reforms we are moving forward to build a safer Bermuda. These reforms include a focus on crime prevention, treatment and rehabilitation along with tougher policing. Read the blog posts and find out everything that we're doing to make our neighbourhoods safer:

• Progress on Public Safety: Tasers for Police
• Progress on Public Safety: Improved Rehabilitation, Mental Health Services
• Helping People Impacted by Crime's Trauma
• More Public Safety Progress: Direct Community Outreach, Homework Help Centres
• More Public Safety Progress: Mirrors Island, Family Services
• More Public Safety Action: Reforming the Jurors Act, Promoting Parental Responsibility
• Strengthening Liquor Laws and Summary Offences
• Criminal Code will be Reformed to Get Tough on Gangs

In reaction to one of our reforms, inaccurate rumours have spread. Premier Ewart Brown set the record straight in on Facebook:

There seems to be much confusion over the new law about "hoodies". Some people have spread the word that the wearing of "hoodies" is now illegal. That is NOT true. The new law allows police officers who suspect criminal conduct to ask the wearer to remove the hood.

Junior Justice Minister Michael Scott further explained the essence of the law:

The Amendments to the Criminal Code giving power to deal with obscuring or concealing of identity is both operationally necessary and sensible. Identitification of hoodlums is necessary to any conviction without satisfactory id evidence the conviction won t happen laws passed by the government and new policies aimed at more success in ... detection of importation of drugs that is primary fuel of the gang fighting fighting that is reinforced with guns is alos being deployed policy presence has also been taken to new levels of deployment So there is a multipronged operational stategy that is taking place and you should find much assurance that the fight is taking place on many front. Modern fashion use of handheld and mobile phone because these are the currency that innocent young Bermudians conduct their basic mundane transactions with We have to accept to that criminals are also using wearing and transacting using these things and when they are abused the law will target clothing helmets and cellphones to help fight back.Agin it is not a silver bullet law the so called Hoodie Law it has been pulled into play and once the community sees violent crime stats erode then this amendment has provision to have its life span last until 2013 when it will fall away provided we have put a real dent in violent gun crime.

If abuse of this power occurs, there are provisions within the code that protect victims. This law is designed to protect the rights of the innocent while giving the police more tools to crack down on gangs and criminals.