Latest Interesting Article

Interesting Articles

 

This section features interesting articles written by former colleagues on a wide range of subjects related to the Bermuda Police Service or recounting personal experiences.   We are delighted to receive articles from anyone who wishes to put pen to paper, and will assist with editing where necessary.

 

 

Dalana Robinson 

We were deeply saddened to read of the sudden passing of Dalana Robinson, who had served as a Police Cadet in the Bermuda Police Service from 1993-1995, and then for 2 years as a Constable from August 1995 – October 1997.      

Dalana died suddenly in April this year at the age of 45 while residing in California.

We learned about this tragic news after reading a most poignant article in the Royal Gazette published on 2nd July 2022, describing how a group of her fellow former Police Cadets, Yolanda Bashier, Derrika Burns and Gladwina O’Mara, all of whom served together from 1993-1995 were rallying around Dalana’s mother.

The group raised $1,303 to donate to Dalana’s mother, Dawnelle, to assist with her affairs and expenses. Following the collection Yolanda still felt that they could do more to remember her friend. “I wanted to honour her publicly. I wanted it to be known what she meant to all of us.”

There was clearly a very close bond between these young Cadets, and after Dalana’s tragic passing they were aiming for a way of honouring her, and bandied around several ideas before they agreed on one suggested by another former cadet, Melvin Douglas.

“When we heard of her passing, I came up with the idea to start a group chat on Facebook Messenger, and it just went from there,” said YolandaBashir. “And so it was us remembering Dalana, obviously trying to come to grips with what happened and then it materialised into a donation.

Young Cadet Dalana Robinson

In the Royal Gazette article (CLICK HERE to view it) Derrika Burns, who was a cousin of Dalana’s says, “We were all cadets between 1993 and 1995 and we were a very close-knit group. We’re still in touch with each other today. Dalana was part of that group and we all remember her as a very meticulous person – in her appearance, in her work. She was very dedicated to whatever she put her mind to. We just remember her as a very beautiful person inside and out.”

Toronto Police Chief William "Bill McCormack
hosts Bermuda Police Cadets in his office - 1994
(l-r) Anthony Mouchette (Trainer), Maxwell Hull, Quinnell Robinson, Amanda Blakeney,
Melvin Douglas, Joanne Darrell, Dalana Robinson, Bismillah Sharrieff, Chris Pett,
Patricia Burgess, Yolanda Bashir, Derrika Bean
and Cadet Trainers, the late Sgt Andrea Browne and Linda Perry. 
 

EDITORS NOTE - The above photograph was taken of our BPS Cadets and their Trainers during their trip to Toronto in 1994, when they were invited to visit Toronto Metropolitan Police Chief,  William "Bill" McCormack in his office.  Mr. McCormack had served in the Bermuda Police as a young constable from 1955-1959  before emigrating to Canada and rising through the ranks of the Toronto Police.  CLICK HERE to view an article about Mr. McCormack in our "Then and Now" column.

 

Gladwina O’Mara is quoted as saying, ““In cadets, although we were together two years, some of us were in high school together with Dalana so there was that connection prior to us joining. And even those who met each other for the first time as cadets, we formed such a strong bond because we did so much together. Within that two-year period of time we were together 24/7 pretty much daily, as we pursued our education at the same time at Bermuda College …. and that connection still hasn’t been lost.”

Cadet Passing Out Ceremony - June 1995
Back row – Jamal Smith, Bismillah Sharrieff, Jerome Astwood, Dalana Robinson, Kevin Butterfield,
Na'imah Williams (Astwood), Gaylon Burrows, Patricia Adams (Burgess), Chris Pett, 
Middle Row – Joanne Darrell (Herbert), Najee Woods, Jason Outerbridge, Gladwina Omara, Melvin Douglas,
Derrika Brangman (Burns), Robin Smith, Vernon Trott, Yolanda Bashir, Che Barker, Levar Powell
Front row – Linda Perry, ? Supt Alan Bissell, COP Colin Coxall,
Minister ?  ACOP Jonathan Smith, John Lynchwade 
 

Our former colleague, retired Sergeant Linda Perry was in charge of this group of Police Cadets and she is also quoted as saying that Dalana was “meticulous in everything that she did”; someone who would always defend “what she thought or knew was right”.  Linda also comments that this group of young Cadets were a pleasure to work with and they worked together as a team.

The Royal Gazette article reports on the fact that Dalana was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 16, and that at age 22 she had a major operation followed by medication which helped her through until 7 years ago when her Crohn’s went into remission. Sadly, her Crohn’s reappeared last October although it will probably be several months before the exact cause of Dalana’s passing will be confirmed.

Philip with camera always at the ready on a beach in Mustique 
 

Today’s Royal Gazette features an excellent article about one of our former colleagues, Philip "Phil" Bermingham who has established an outstanding reputation as an international photographer commissioned by the rich and famous  and interesting people from all walks of life ranging from indigenous people in Australia to volunteer doctors with the World Pediatric Foundation in St. Vincent.

Many of his photographs are featured in Phil’s book “Portraiture: On The Job”

Young D.C. Philip Bermingham
 

Philip joined the Bermuda Police in 1972, and after spells in Central (Uniform), on Mobile Reserve, and the Murder Room,  he was transferred to CRO where he developed  a great interest and lifelong passion for photography.  Phil met his wife, Ann, an American, while here in Bermuda and following their marriage Ann worked as a nurse at KEMH.    

Phil and Ann eventually decided to settle in the US and left Bermuda in 1978.  Unable to find employment as a  photographer, it wasn’t long before Phil decided to set up his own photographic business due in part to  connections he had made here in Bermuda  with the owners of H.A and E. Smith’s when they opened a store in Alexandria, Virginia.

The Royal Gazette article, written by Lifestyle Editor, Heather Wood, CLICK HERE  to view it, provides a  fascinating insight into Phil’s life and career, and  as for Bermuda, Phil is quoted in the article as saying,

“It's always been in my heart and soul. I remember the first time I went I thought, ‘This is paradise.’ But I knew I had to leave to make my career. I don't think I could have made the career I did in Bermuda, because there were limitations on immigration. I was a police officer, I couldn't really switch jobs. So I was very excited for my own business and I really love it.”

Phil clearly still loves Bermuda because he continues to visit us whenever he can, and always comes armed  with his golf clubs and his camera!

Philip relaxes with President George H.W. Bush
(Photograph copyright Philip Bermingham 2017)
 

You can also find an extensive article about Phil in the “Then and Now” column here on our ExPo website, CLICK HERE to view,  which highlights some of the fascinating experiences he had during his 6 years serving in the Bermuda Police, together with numerous photographs he has taken including members of the Royal family and U.S. Presidents.  

Young P.C. (Robert) Malcolm "Malcy" Tarte 
 
We recently received the following e-mail message from Tom Tarte, the son of former P.C. (Robert) Malcolm “Malky Tarte, who served here in the Bermuda Police from May 1969 – January 1972.
 

Good evening,

My name is Tom Tarte and I am the son of the late Malcolm ‘Malky’ Tarte. My father passed nearly 20 years ago now in 2003 and despite only being a young boy at that time, I still remember the stories he shared about his time in Bermuda. Most of what I know about him is from other people and I would very much appreciate it if you could ask around and see if anyone has any stories to tell,or maybe pictures to share? Is there any chance I could get a larger size of the photograph you have of him and his boxing buddies on  your website?

He served between May 1969 and January 1972 as a police constable, service no.198.

Kind Regards,
Tom Tarte 
 
Normally, this is not a great problem because the Police Register at Police HQ has an almost, but not quite complete list of most of the men and women who have served in the Bermuda Police from the 1950’s to the 1990’s.  There is one double-sided page for each officer, providing details such as date of birth, previous employment, date of joining, transfers, promotions,  commendations, details of marriages and children,  courses attended,  sick leave, etc.
  
Prior to 1950 all police officers were listed in the Blue Books now stored in the Government Archives. From approximately 1990 the system changed to storing a file folder at Police HQ for each individual officer and these folders were stored at Police HQ separately from the old police registers.  Most unfortunately, the room where they were stored was neither air conditioned nor de-humidified for several years resulting in them being badly attacked by mould causing them to deteriorate.  The mould is so bad that no-one is allowed to enter this storage room without protective gear,  and no-one from Expo is allowed into the room.
 
From around 2000, records started to be stored in another area and these are now held at Hamilton Police Station where they are kept in good conditions. 
 
Sadly, at this point  we cannot find the police register file for Malcom Tarte, and therefore we can find no official record of where he served during his 2 ½ years in Bermuda.
 
However, on checking out “Coop’s List” compiled by D.C. Dave Cooper while he was serving in the BPS,  we see that Malky Tarte joined on 14th May 1969 along with Stephen Bond, Wilson “Bill” Buchanan, Kevin Brennan, Rex Osborne, Brian Morgan, Peter Counsell, John Wilkins, Clive Crossman, Mervyn “Merv” Willey, John Copas, and Peter Moore.  Malky is also listed on John Skinner’s List of Police Officers 1879-1979  which you can CLICK HERE to view.
 
 
Since the early 1950’s new recruits hired in the UK would attend a 3 month training course at the Police College at Mill Meece, in Staffordshire, prior to coming out to Bermuda, whereas local recruited officers would either spend a few days reading through manuals and law books at Hamilton Station, or sometimes attend a short course held at Prospect using an instructor brought out from the UK. 
 
On his arrival as Commissioner of Police in 1961,  George Robins recognized the huge disparity in training for local recruits compared with overseas recruits.  Commissioner Robins was instrumental in creating our own Police Training School which opened in 1961, and from that time onwards all previously untrained police recruits  would attend a 3 month Basic Training Course at Prospect.
A policy was introduced to  photograph all new recruits at the end of their Basic Training Courses, and we are in the process of posting all the Basic Training Course photos here on our website under Training Courses.  CLICK HERE  to  view the list which has so far included all the Basic Training Courses from 1961 – 1981. We plan to publish them up-to-date by the end of this year.
   
Most unfortunately,  this did not apply to new recruits with previous police experience who had already undergone a 3 month courses in the UK. They would attend a brief “Localisation Course” usually held for several days, or approximately one week,  and it was rare to have an official course photo taken for these “Localisation Courses”.
 
Getting back to the request from Tom Tarte for information and possible photos of his father,  we have so far not been able to find his record in the Police Register or any photo taken when he and his group attended their “Localisation Course” .
On searching our website we were able to locate two photos of “Malky”, one of him when he was due to fight in our annual Boxing Tournament, and the other is an  excellent group photo of Eastern Division (St. George’s)  taken in 1970  in which Malcy is in civvies and may well have been serving as an Aide in Eastern CID. We blew up the section of the photo of Malcy and used it to head this article. 
 
Eastern Divisional Photo - taken in the Fall of 1970 
(l-r) Front row - Sgt. John "Rigor" Morris, Sgt Barrie Meade, COP George Duckett, 
St. George's OIC Insp Peter Stubbs, Sgt Mike Burke, and Sgt Brian Flook,
2nd Row - Alan Kennedy, Brian Anderson, Frank Smith, D/Sgt Dudley Swan, Sgt Eric "Wee Eckie" Laing,
D/Sgt Laurie Jackson, Mike Cresswell (deceased) and Neil Cox
3rd Row - Bill Cree, Angus Brown, David Furbert, Malcolm Tarte, Patrick Hamlett, Perry Fox, Dave Inwood
4th row - Arden Cato, Laurie Phillips, Paul Hendrick, Mel Gibbons, Robert "Bob" Payne, John Wilkinson,
Paul Yates, Dave Purcell, Winston Esdaille, Roger Hind
Top Row - M. Sample, Stephen Bond, Ken Bent, Ronnie Boggan, ?
 
 
On checking the list of Malky's colleagues when he first arrived on Island, we found two members of that group who are still on Island, and they are Rex Osborne and Peter Counsell.  Rex has very good reason to remember Malky because they fought against each other in the annual Police Boxing Tournament in 19??  Not only did they fight against each together, Rex and Malky won “Fight of the Night” with Rex awarded the decision.
 
 Below is the boxing photo referred to by Tom Tarte in his email. We are not yet sure of the year it was taken. 
 
Police Boxing officials and participants -  Year?
(l-r)  Arthur Wallington, Alex Forbes, Mike Caulkett, Eric Sanderson,
Rex Osborne, Syd Gordon, Ian "Baby"  Douris, Ron Wallace,
Howard "Stumpy" Kirkham, Malky Tarte, Mike Palmer, and Brinley Jones
 
In one of his subsequent emails  Tom passed on the following information about his father:-  

“After leaving Bermuda in ’72, I think he also left the police behind. I’m not entirely sure when as he doesn’t meet my mother until ’86 but I know for a fact that in the early  ‘80s he had started work in a factory. He would remain at this factory, Copperweld, advancing to factory manager until his death in late October 2003 after a short illness. He was a Shropshire lad so when he returned to the UK, he settled only a few miles from the home he was born in and he also took up running,  ran in the first London Marathon as well as the second and some more closer to home.”

 

We have passed these photos on to Tom and we are asking any of our colleagues who can provide information about Malky or any photos to please contact us either through our website at info@expobermuda.com  or through our ExPo Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BDAExPolice 

  

First published
5th June 2022 

 

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