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JULIE DEAN HONOURED BY THE
POLICE
Mrs Julie Dean received a "Blue Lamp Award" from
the police in Bimini honouring her for her commitment and support of
the police officers in Bimini over a thirty year period. The award,
named after the blue lamps that are displayed oiutside Bahamian
police stations, was presented to her by Assistant Superintendent
Tyrone Bethel.
Mrs Dean is demiting her office as Executive
Officer within the Department of Local Government. She has served in
the Bimini Administrator's Office for over thirty years. "Mrs Dean
exceeds the word 'competence'", said Administrator Sherrick Ellis.
"She is simply outstanding and an exemplary public servant."
ASP Bethel said that while he has been posted to Bimini for fewer
than six weeks he remembers Mrs Dean well from his earlier positng
to Bimini in 1992. "She was like a mother to the officers here." he
declared. "We all grew to know and love her and appreciate the many
favours and kindnesses she did." ASP Bethel added that,
"professionally she was a fine example to others in government
service." Mrs Dean will retire in a few weeks
time.
BIMINITE HAS GRADUATED FROM POLICE
COLLEGE
Corey Rolle: "I am ready
to serve."
Police Constable 3447 Corey Rolle has graduated
from the Police College in Freeport. Rolle, the son of Esther
Rolle-Edgecombe and the late Cordell Rolle, said he has never
regretted the decision to join the Force. "It is not easy. The
standards are high but they need to be", said Corey. I matured alot
in the six months of training and I feel very positive
about myself, my role as a police officer and as a nation builder. I
look forward to serving", he added. Constable Rolle is
currently at Lucaya Station in Freeport.
Bimini has not given many persons to the police
service. However, this appears to be changing as several other young
people, male and female have expressed an interest in the service as
a career. One officer from Bimini is Cpl 1212 Lavardo Sherman,
who is now an instructor at the college. Michael Checkley and Mazell
Hinzey are both Biminites in the police reserve as
sergeants.
(right: Constable 3447
Rolle)
ELLISON GREENSLADE IS NOW
POLICE COMMISSIONER
In ceremonies at Nassau the outgoing Commissioner
of Police, Reginald Ferguson, officially handed over the direction
of the Royal Bahamas Police Force to incoming Commissioner
Ellison Greenslade. Mr Ferguson closed his career with the police
service which began over forty years ago when the country was still
a British colony. Serving with distinction in many areas of policing
Mr Ferguson has ended his career as the Commissioner of Police,
a position he held for just under two years.
The new Bahamas Police Act requires officers to retire
at the age of 60. Mr Ferguson always spoke of the need for citizens
to put country first. And he encouraged people to "be good
neighbours to each other...".
Commissioner of
Police Ellison Greenslade, QPM, MBA,
PhD(cand)
Mr Greenslade was appointed to the position
of Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police in January of 2009 upon
completion of a one year secondment with the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police in Canada.
Commissioner
Greenslade (left) accepts the ceremonial sword from
outgoing Commissioner Reginald Ferguson at handing over ceremonies
in Nassau recently. photo BIS Peter
Ramsey
Born in Nassau, Bahamas, he attended primary
schools in Cedar Harbour Abaco, Lovely Bay Acklins, Kemp’s Bay
Andros, Knowles Cat Island, and Stephen Dillet Nassau. He received
his secondary and high school education at S.C. McPherson Junior
High, and the Government High Schools in Nassau, New
Providence.
The Commissioner has received several honours
throughout his career including The Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) for
distinguished police service and the Prime Minister’s Above and
Beyond award from The Right Honourable Prime Minister, Hubert A.
Ingraham. He is also the recipient of the Police Force’s medals for
meritorious service, long service, and good conduct. In
October of 2006, he was commended by His Excellency, The Governor
General of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, during an award ceremony
at Government House, for distinguished service in saving lives
during a natural disaster.
The Commissioner has membership in a
number of international organisations including The International
Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), The National Organisation of
Black Law Enforcement Officials (NOBLE), and The IACP Communications
and Technology Committee.
PRIME MINISTER MAKES BRIEF
VISIT TO BIMINI
The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon
Hubert Ingraham speaks with ASP Tyrone Bethel, OIC Bimini and Sgt
2107 Gregory Lockhart, 2 I/C Bimini, during the prime minister's
brief visit to Bimini recently. Capt Hyram Rolle, water taxi
operator stands looking on.
Assistant Superintendent Tyrone Bethel, Officer-in-Charge of
the Bimini Sub-Division of the Royal Bahamas Police Force walks in
front of the Prime Minister's official vehicle as it approaches the
Bimini Government Dock. PC 2796 Deron Russell was the prime
minister's chauffeur for the day long
visit. Police
provided protocol and support services during Mr Ingraham's
visit.
DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER BRENT SYMONETTE, MP ATTENDS FINANCIAL SERVICES CONFERENCE
IN BIMINI
A major financial services
conference was held in Bimini recently at the Bimini Bay Resort. The
conference brought together financial services personnel from as far
aways as Europe as well as participants from the Caribbean region,
Canada and the United States. Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette
opened the two day conference and Minister Zhivago Laing, Minister
of State for Finance, gave the keynote address.
DPM Brent Symonette (left) arrives
at Bimini Bay Resort for the Financial Services Conference. He is
led by Bimini Administrator Sherrick Ellis, JP. ASP Tyrone Bethel,
Officer-in-Charge of the Royal Bahamas Police in Bimini assists
together with Cpl 2256 Martin Roberts who served as Mr Symonette's
driver. Protocol and support services for the DPM's visit and that
of Minister Laing was provided by the police.
THREE FORMER BIMINI
POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVE RANK PROMOTIONS
In a recent police promotion exercise for
senior officers it was announced that three officers who had served
in Bimini received promotions in rank. Glenn Miller, who served as a
sergeant in Bimini in the mid 1990s was named an Assistant
Commissioner of Police and will work from police headquarters in
Nassau. Morey Evans who served as officer in charge of Bimini in
2002-2003 was promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police. He
is currently officer in charge of Exuma. Mr Evans was in charge of
Bimini when the biminipolice.com website was launched in 2003.
In 2003 then Assistant
Superintendent of Police Morey Evans, while officer-in-charge of
Bimini, launched the station's website with students from the Bimini
Public School. First emails were sent to then Commissioner Paul
Farquharson and then Assistant Commissioner Ellison Greenslade. Mr
Evans was recently promoted to the rank of Superintendent of
Police
The first two emails were sent to then
Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson and then Assistant
Commissioner Ellison Greenslade who now sits as commissioner. Chief
Inspector Sam Butler who served in Bimini in the late 1990s
was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police.
BIMINI CHILDRENS' CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PARTY
A GREAT SUCCESS
Over 500 children from across Bimini gathered at
the Government Administration Centre where the main police station
is located for the Childrens' Christmas party. Music, dancing, face
painting, food and gifts from Santa were all part of the
festivities.
"The kids are having a wonderful time," said PC
280 Strachan-Russell. "Its really joyful around here," she added.
The Adminstrator's office staff manned the special events tables and
the food court. "I'm exhausted", laughed Executive clerk Julie Dean,
"but the children so look forward to these kinds of events".
PC 3309 Ramsey said, "I had a great time with the kids. They
really keep you busy".
PC 3309 Ramsey stands beneath the blue lamp
with some of the children from the Christmas
party.
FIRE DESTROYS POPULAR
RESTAURANT
A recent fire destroyed a popular Bimini landmark
leaving several people without work and the island with one less
restaurant in Alice Town. CJ's Deli, which opened in 1991, burned to
the ground in an early morning blaze. While volunteer fire fighters
and police officers responded quickly, the wooden frame structure
was quickly engulfed in flames and lost. Efforts were made to
protect nearby buildings none of which was damaged as a result of
the fire. The building was owned by the Roberts family of Bimini and
leased to Corey Dean Francis.
PC 2796 Deron Russell (above) and Cpl 2256
Martin Roberts (below) comb through the aftermath of the blaze
searching for clues as to how the fire started.
GOVERNMENT MINISTER TOMMY
TURNQUEST, RECEIVES NEW FIRE ENGINE FOR BIMINI
The Honourable Tommy Turnquest,
Minister of National Security, visited Bimini recently and at a
public ceremony took possession of a new fire engine for
Bimini. The engine was donated to the community by Bimini Bay
Resort and Marina(RAV BAHAMAS LTD). Commissioner of Police Reginald
Ferguson(now retired) also attended the ceremonies together
with Mrs Missouri Sherman-Peter, permanent secretary to the Ministry
of National Security and Supt Jeffrey Deleveaux, Director of Fire
Services at New Providence.
(above PC 3154 Armbrister, Bimini's fire
officer stands next to the new
apparatus)
Hon Tommy Turnquest addresses people present at
the handing over ceremony for Bimini's new fire engine. (LEFT)Mrs
Sherman-Peter and now retired Police
The ceremony, held at the government
administration centre, was attended by local community leaders,
pastors, residents and volunteer fire fighters.
The 2006 fire appliance replaces a 50 year old
Ward LaFrance engine which became dysfunctional. The new apparatus
is able to travel on all of Bimini's narrows streets which the
previous engine could not do. 
Bimini has suffered several major fires in
recent years, one of which took the life of Bahamian Olympic athlete
Julian Brown. The Compleat Angler Hotel fire in 2006 and the
Fantasy Island area fire of 1995 were major blazes that impacted the
lives of many people.
Raphael Reyes, on behalf of Bimini Bay Resort,
presented the keys to Minister Turnquest who in turn presented them
to Commissioner Ferguson and he handed them over to Bimini's Chief
Inspector Kevin Mortimer.
The Bimini Bay Resort and Marina has donated
much to the island in recent years to both churches and
schools. The company also re-built the island's public park
with a new ball field, basketball court, tennis courts, sports track
and park administration building.
The Bimini All Age School band provided music for
the ceremony.
Raphael Reyes of Bimini Bay Resort presents the
fire engine keys to Minister Tommy Turnquest and Bahamas Police
Commissioner Reginald Ferguson( now retired). Mrs Missouri
Sherman-Peter, permanent secretary of Ministry of National Security
looks on.
ROYAL BAHAMAS POLICE FORCE LINKS
WITH BRITISH UNIVERSITY
Partnership forged between Police Force and
University of Leicester
 NASSAU — In an historic move,
the Royal Bahamas Police Force is partnering with the University of
Leicester in the United Kingdom to offer specialist programmes in
various areas of criminology — by distance learning — to officers of
the Police Force, a move that levels the playing field for all
officers to enhance their career development.
This partnership is being brought to
The Bahamas through the University of Leicester's partner,
Education for Advancement (EFA).
EFA recently opened its office in The
Bahamas and offers criminology and several other recognized and
accredited programmes to the general public.
Addressing the audience that consisted
of a cross-section of junior, middle and senior police officers and
security guards from private security firms, Commissioner Ellison
Greenslade, QPM, said, "I welcome you with open arms and
express our profound gratitude for the hand of friendship which has
been offered by the University of Leicester and its distinguished
partner, Education for Advancement. It is our sincere hope that this
initial meeting is the start of a productive relationship which will
yield benefits for all. We are excited about the future and we
intend to positively exploit the educational opportunities that you
now propose and those that you may propose in the future."
Many senior police officers, including
Greenslade, hold post graduate certificates and diplomas from the
University of Leicester, through its affiliation with Brahmshill, a
premier police training institute in Great Britain therefore
attesting to the quality of Leicester's programme was easy.
"Suffice it to say, we can comfortably
recommend the quality of education offered by this outstanding
institute of higher learning in the United Kingdom," Commissioner
Greenslade added.
In fact, Superintendent Wayne Miller,
former commandant of the Police Training College, who was
instrumental and integral to getting this agreement formalised,
holds a Masters of Science degree from the University of Leicester.
"The benefits that Leicester's
education has afforded these senior officers and their attestation
to the value and relevance of the programmes to the police were the
reasons for seeking to formalise the existing relationship", Supt.
Miller said.
Leicester's Department of Criminology
offers a Foundations degree in security management and a BA in
security and risk management at the undergraduate level. At the
Masters of Science (MSc) level, there are courses in security and
risk management; criminology and criminal justice; community safety;
and police leadership and management.
ADAPTED FROM FREEPORT NEWS
BIMINI SERGEANT RECEIVES LONG SERVICE
POLICE MEDAL 
Sergeant 2107 Gregory Lockhart, the
Second-in-Charge of the Bimini Police District, has been awarded the
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Lockhart has served for
18 years in the police service, primarily in Grand Bahama.
Sergeant Lockhart was one of several officers
throughout the country who was selected to receive police
medals. The award was presented in Nassau, at Government House. His
Excellency The Governor General, The Hon Arthur Dion Hanna,
representing the Queen, and on behalf of the Bahamian
people, presented the awards.
The Long Service medal was first awarded in 1927,
eighty two years
ago. | 
