With the year 2021 coming to an end TNN’s Trevor Lindsay caught up with Ex-Commissioner of The Bermuda Police Services ( BPS ) Steven Corbishley, having an opportunity to interview the Top Cop on life after Bermuda.
What are you doing with your life since you’ve left Bermuda ?
I’m back in the UK living close to my family and currently lecturing at University. I qualified as a teacher some years ago and enjoy it greatly.
Would you return to policing?
Never say never Trevor and of course if a good offer comes up then I’ll always consider new options.
Why did you leave the BPS so suddenly?
I felt I’d achieved a lot Trevor and taken the service forward a great deal. But my mum is getting older and I have 2 daughters in the UK I missed greatly. So I just felt that family issues were more important than professional and decided to make a change. Plus I’d done 30 years as a cop and I fancied a change. It was as simple as that, my choice and one that was right for me.
Do you miss Bermuda and would you ever return?
Well I certainly miss the weather! But aside from that I miss it greatly and made some great friends and worked with some really talented people who cared about the community, including yourself. I became a police officer to serve the public and I worked every single day as Commissioner to do that and whilst I got criticism from some quarters to things I stuck too I know that a great deal of the Bermuda public appreciated my honesty, accessibility and fact I cared about them not least those who were victims of crime.
There’s lots of other things I miss such as chatting to staff and customers in places like Market Place and other shops as it gave me real insight to what was going on and how people felt. Im in the process of writing a book to my time as Commissioner which I aim to get published in the new year, that is if anyone wants to read it!
What were your proudest achievements?
Lots. I left the service with 4 of my senior team having undertaken the UKs strategic command course, in my opinion the most prestigious senior police programme in the world. We reduced gun related homicide with zero lost lives in 2019. We re-introduced parish constables which I know local communities appreciate. We were leaders in supporting Gay Pride highlighting that Bermuda is inclusive and 7,000 people took to the street in support. So many things were achieved by officers and staff in the BPS that I will always be proud of.
Is it true there were a number of complaints made against you before you left?
Like any high profile role with responsibility, especially policing, you get complaints sometimes from people who are being investigated themselves. In 30 years of policing I’ve had loads of complaints against me and the best advice I ever got was know your own truth and don’t bow down to the mischievous versions other peddle.
That aside and as said I left the BPS simply because I wanted a change; family, new professional opportunities and, I forgot to mention, the chance to be a regular visitor at the stadium of my lifelong football team, Manchester City!
My choice and one I don’t regret with many great memories of Bermuda that are mine forever and the chance to revisit in the future to see friends and have the odd cold one or three.
What’s your 2022 message to Bermuda?
Bermuda is a beautiful place with fabulous communities. It has navigated a pandemic and continues to achieve great things. I hope that communities and all partners come together to tackle some of the issues it faces not least the challenges some young black men have as to which road they go down. Everyone’s life is important but not everyone has the same opportunities. If that can be changed then massive differences occur. So my wish is that leaders from all parts of Bermuda come together to provide opportunities for those most at risk to access and achieve positive lives.
You did a lot of Video blogs and often ended with a funny story? What’s the funniest thing that happened to you in Bermuda?
Easy one Trevor. When a guy asked if I had a sidepiece and I thought he was asking me if I had a gun at work. We chatted for twenty minutes with me totally unaware to what he really meant. That still makes me laugh.————————————————————————————————Any content which is considered unsuitable, unlawful, or offensive, includes personal details, advertises or promotes products, services or websites, or repeats previous comments will be removed.
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