Breaking News: The Commissioner of the Bermuda Police Service Darrin Simons delivers a firm statement to all members of the BPS regarding allegations of misconduct in the workplace will not be tolerated. TNN News obtained the email written below.
Colleagues, I write about allegations that have been raised regarding misconduct within our service.
You may have seen recent media coverage about inappropriate behaviour by officers toward young women in our Recruitment Foundation Course. These allegations describe a pattern of predatory conduct that represents a serious breach of trust and professional standards.
I want to be clear with each of you. This matters to me personally. The Bermuda Police Service has zero tolerance for this type of behaviour. None.
I recognise that coming forward about misconduct is difficult. It requires courage. And I know that feeling comfortable with the person you’re reporting to matters.
That’s why we have multiple channels for reporting these concerns:
Internally: Professional Standards, OHU, Chaplain, BPA Executive, Any Supervisor, Commissioner’s Office
Externally: Police Complaints Authority, Women’s Resource Centre, Labour Relations Office, Human Rights Commission
You choose the path that feels most comfortable for you. What matters is that you know you have options and that you will be heard.
Our recent culture survey did not flag this as a systemic issue. When Supt. Ed Haywood-Noble, the PSA national inclusion representative for LGBTQ+, visited to do follow-up work, these concerns didn’t surface. But I’m not taking comfort in that. Silence doesn’t mean absence. Some behaviors stay hidden because people don’t feel safe enough to speak up.
Every person in this service deserves to work in a safe environment. Not most people. Every single one of you.
A direct message to any Involved.
If you are engaging in predatory behavior, manipulating junior staff, or abusing your position of authority, understand this, I will work to remove you from the Bermuda Police Service. Your rank won’t protect you. Your years of service won’t shield you. Your relationships won’t save you.
This isn’t a warning. It’s my personal commitment.
We serve the community by keeping people safe. That responsibility has to start inside our own organisation. When officers prey on colleagues, especially those new to the service and in vulnerable positions, they betray everything we stand for.
If you have information about misconduct, I’m asking you to come forward. Your voice matters. Your experience matters. What you know could prevent someone else from being harmed.
You will see updated policies that set clearer standards and safeguards. I said something publicly that I meant: we don’t have all the answers. If there are better ways to handle these sensitive cases, we need to learn them. That means listening to you, studying what works in other jurisdictions, and working with external experts who understand these dynamics.
Officers joining our service should be focused on learning their profession. They should be building confidence, developing skills, and forming healthy professional relationships. They shouldn’t be navigating advances from long serving officers. They shouldn’t be calculating who to avoid or wondering about the motives behind offers of mentorship.
That’s not the environment I’m going to accept.
Most of you serve with honor. You mentor without manipulation. You lead without exploiting. You understand that power comes with responsibility, not opportunity. Thank you for being the kind of officer this service needs.
For those who don’t, your time here is limited.
I’m accountable for the culture we build. When I say “Making Bermuda Safer,” that includes making this workplace safer. For everyone.
If you’ve been affected by misconduct and you’re reading this, I want you to know something: what happened to you wasn’t your fault. You didn’t deserve it. And you’re not alone.
If you have questions or concerns, there are many options listed above, including me.
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