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Stuart Jessey
 
 
PASSING OF STUART LAWRENCE JESSEY - We learned of the sad passing of our good friend and former colleague Stuart Lawrence Jessey who served in the BPS from 1986 – 1994,  when we received the news through the following Tribute sent to us on behalf of Commissioner of Police, Darrin Simons.
 
Dear Colleagues,
 
It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of our former colleague, Police Constable 331 Stuart Lawrence Jessey, (on 2nd October 2026).
 
PC Jessey dedicated over two and a half decades of his life to protecting and serving the community of Bermuda. His journey with the Bermuda Police Service began in August 1984, when he first entered the ranks as a Police Cadet. Demonstrating strong dedication to the core values of policing from the very start, he formally graduated as a sworn officer with Recruit Foundation Course 37 (RFC 37) in September 1986.
 
 
 
 
 
Upon graduation, PC Jessey was posted to the Central Uniform Patrol, and eventually worked in Eastern Uniform Patrol, where he established himself as a reliable, front-line operational officer. Though he served with us for a short time before pursuing other endeavors, he left a lasting impression on his peers and established himself as a reliable, front-line operational officer who preferred to serve directly within the community.
 
Beyond his distinguished service in uniform, Stuart was a well-known resident of Paget Parish and a passionate maritime enthusiast. Following his departure from active duty, he was heavily involved in Bermuda's charter fishing community, sharing his love for the ocean and building lasting connections on the waters he spent a lifetime protecting.
 
On behalf of the entire Bermuda Police Service, I extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to Stuart’s wife, his sister Claire Jessey, and his entire family, friends, and former colleagues during this incredibly difficult time.
 
Details regarding the funeral arrangements and police honors will be shared once they are finalized.
 
Please keep Stuart’s, loved ones, friends and colleagues in your thoughts during this difficult time.
 
Warmest regards,
Darrin Simons
Commissioner of Police
 
Editors note -  On behalf of all of our ExPo members we also extend our sincer e cndolences to Stuart;s wife and family and his many friends.
 
Published 5th October 2026

Front cover - Summer 1970
 
 I wonder how many of our former members of the Bermuda Police or their families, are aware of the fact that we now have available through our ExPo website a comprehensive set of all the “old” police magazines going back as far as 1955. Modern technology is such that you can now go onto our ExPo website where you will find a list of all the old magazines along with instructions about how to flip through them page by page as though you are sitting at home with a book. You can view them at https://expobermuda.com/index.php/bps-magazine-catalog
 
 
Although the first magazines had very few photos, the number of photos gradually increased to accompany a wide variety of articles ranging from Divisional Notes to Promotions and Transfers, Sports, Social and Personal, and general stories of interest.
 
To give you some of idea of what you can find in them, the above photo of the Motor Cycle Display Team  is the front cover of the 1970 Summer edition, and here are a few examples of the stories and articles in it such as the 5 young men who set sail for Fiji in search of adventure, the retirement of a well known Inspector, the dedication of the Police Memorial at Prospect, one of the weddings that year, photos of promoted officers, and sports activities.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Magazines_7.jpg
 
 
 
It may take you a while to get used to navigating through these old magazines but they contain an enormous amount of information which you now have at your fingertips.
 
You may just find yourself featured somewhere in one of the magazines published during your time, or shortly after,  in these historic Police Magazines.
 
Published
September 2026

 

During New Years Eve heralding in 2026 we asked the question as to who might be the first of our ExPo members around the worlde who would have celebrated the arrival of the New Year . We received several answers wth one of the best coming from our good friend and former colleague Clive Crossman who resides in New Zealand, along with several other former colleagues who have settled in the land of the Kiwis.  Here is Clive’s response which was also ideal to be published in our “Then and Now” column

Where is Mosgiel? New Zealand

45.8838 / 170.3329.  The distance Mosgiel to Bermuda via USA 17,116 or 24,786 kms via the  indian ocean .  It is a small town just outside Dunedin on the South Island of New Zealand.  As the first landmass to the West of the International date line New Zealand is the first place to see the first light at the start of a new year.

On the 1st November 1964 (the day afIer my 17th birthday) I became No.56.; or more accurately cadet No.56 in The Essex County Police Force.   This was to be the first of several numbers I was to have over the next 50 years.  As a cadet I was attached to the various departments within the Police:  from Administration ( a clerk), C.I.D (coffee maker) and the Dog section (dog bait).   I got to learn 100 legal definitions and sent on character building/ leadership courses including Outward Bound at Ullswater in North West England.

In 1966 it was time for a new number, 728.   This time it was as a constable and it was off to the number 5 district police training school, Eynsham Hall in Oxfordshire.   After 3 months at the training school I was churned out as a newly minted probationary constable and posted to Greys Thurrock in the South of Essex near Tilbury.   I got to walk the beat drive a panda car and occasionally rose to the giddy heights as observer  in an area car.

In 1968 I was given the job as prisoner escort to go to Brixton prison.   The other constable on escort duty that day was Tony Diggins.   He told me an interesting story about having lined up a new move to a tropical island, Bermuda.   I chewed this over for about 6 months and then saw an advertisement in the the 'Police Review' asking for applicants to join the Bermuda Police.   So I was off to the library to find out, firstly, where Bermuda is, and then to ask around as to what it was like to live there.    After getting favourable reviews, I ' threw my hat in the ring'  and put in an application.   Less than two months later I was invited for an interview and then received an airline ticket in the mail.   On the 14th May 1969 I flew to Bermuda with 12 (I think) other recruits to start a very interesting 4 years in Bermuda.

Time for a new number, 122.

Tony Diggins was already settled into life in Bermuda.   I was introduced to Bermuda by Custfield Crockwell and Barrie Meade who were our instructors for the induction course at Prospect Police Headquarters.   At the end of the course Peter Counsel, Bill Buchanan and I were posted to Somerset in the Western District.

The next four years were very eventful.  

 I met and married Freda Wright, a nurse at King Edward VII memorial hospital. 

 I served a term on attachment to C.I.D in Somerset and then Freda and I decided to spread our wings and headed for New Zealand.

On the 2nd April 1973 we arrived in New Zealand.   

Time for a new number ...5125, as a constable in the New Zealand Police, where I stayed for 20 years.   Before a retirement without numbers.

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