Policing Paradise – ‘Reviewed’, not ‘Vetted’ by the BPS – the difference being?

Did the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) have any say, any involvement, in the BBC’s production ‘Policing Paradise’?  Last year the BPS and press reported:

The BPS senior leadership team will review all footage before it can be included in the series, and all proposed episodes will be vetted by the BPS before release for broadcast.
01/07/2024 Royal Gazette

Questioned about what appeared to be a lack of impartiality, the BBC responded that the BPS post was factually incorrect adding that the ‘BBC does not give editorial control to contributors, we have however worked with the Bermuda Police Service to ensure factual accuracy, as is standard practice’.

Factual accuracy is questionable.  For example, reference to a diverse 500-strong police force is odd … the island is struggling with staffing – read more here.

The BPS were invited to explain the misrepresentation conveyed by the BBC .

25/03/2025, the BPS wrote:

I can confirm that the BBC statement is correct, and that the BPS did in fact review all episodes purely to verify factual accuracy.
The BPS neither sought nor was given “editorial control” of the content for broadcast, which remained entirely with the BBC.
The full BPS email can be read here.

26/03/2025, according to the Royal Gazette, the BPS

have admitted they were not allowed to “VET” footage included in a new British TV show about fighting crime on the island, despite claims they made to the contrary last year.

Bermuda Police Semantics (BPS)?

Reviewing vs. Vetting

It is generally considered whilst both processes involve evaluating content, they differ in purpose, timing, and who carries them out:

Vetting takes place before the programme is aired. It is part of the pre-broadcast process.

Reviewing occurs after the programme has been aired and is available to the public.

As the Bermuda Police post was issued in 2024 and ‘Policing Paradise’ was not aired until 2025, it does not appear the program was ‘reviewed’ by the BPS – but they have bene invited to clarify the situation.