I was born in Akron, Ohio, USA, and joined the US Navy in 1986. I was stationed in Bermuda from 1989 to 1992 at the Naval Air Station out on the “Weapons Peninsula”.
I met my wife, Jennifer, at Rum Runners, and we married in 1992. We left Bermuda to return to the US, where I became a police officer in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
I returned to Bermuda in August 1998 with Jennifer and joined the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) as a spousal Bermudian, attending Recruit Foundation Course 55.
I realize it’s unusual for a U.S. Citizen to join the BPS, but I believe that Pc Carl Vincent holds the honour of being the first U.S. Citizen to do so.
Editors Note – To the best of our knowledge the first U.S. born recruit into the Bermuda Police Force was L.M. “Nobby” Clark who according to our Police records was born in Boston but is believed to have lived in Canada prior to coming to Bermuda where he rose through the ranks to become Commissioner of Police.
The BPS was a tough adjustment for me, as I had been a police officer in the US Military and in Ann Arbor, Michigan for 5 years before moving to Bermuda, and policing was considerably different in the U.S. than in Bermuda.
I remember failing the first training school practical. A/PS Mike Clebek, was the tester. The scenario was a 6:45am alarm activation at a warehouse. A male individual was seen walking around inside with the lights off. I snuck in behind him, and just about tackled him to the ground - effectively arresting the key holder! Needless to say this changed the tone of my training from that day forward.
Jen and I have been married for 33 years. We have two sons: Ryan, who lives in South Carolina and is the head athletic trainer at Erskine University, and Tyler, who is still in Bermuda as an IT professional at Arch Re-insurance.
After completing Training School I was posted to “A” Watch in Hamilton from 1998-2000. During the Summer of 2000 I enjoyed a spell on Beach Squad, and towards the end of that same year I spent a short time in CID. From 2001-2005 I was in an acting position as operational patrol Sergeant until 2006 when I was promoted to Sergeant and was posted to Community Beat Officers (CBO) department under the leadership of then Chief Inspector Michael DeSilva who went on to become Commissioner of Police.
Members of the Police Support Unit - Somerset, 2005
Following the untimely passing of Paul Marsden on the rugby pitch I decided to join the St. John Ambulance (Association) and became a CPR Instructor.
It was in 2007, after the Community Beat Officers were disbanded that I was posted to the Criminal Intelligence Department at the crime desk and remained in Criminal Intelligence until 2018.
I also continued my active involvement with St. John Ambulance and in 2009 I was appointed as the St. John Ambulance's Bermuda Commissioner.
In 2017 I passed the EMT Certification at KEMH and took over as the primary Bermuda Police Service CPR Instructor from Geordie Watson. Also in 2017 by the authority of Her Majesty the Queen, I was appointed as an Officer in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem.
Steve meets up with Town Cryer Ed Christopher
In 2018 I transferred from Criminal Intelligence to Parishes (former CBO’s) and during the Covid epidemic in 2020 I re-joined “A” Watch in Central Division working as a patrol sergeant and alternate Incident Commander on the Watch.
I was promoted to Inspector in November 2023 and retired in June 2024 after nearly 26 years of service.
Shadow Box contains Stephen’s ribbons, medals,
In July 2024 Jen and I moved to North Carolina near Pinehurst, settling in the small village of Foxfire (pop. 1350), where we are surrounded by two golf courses. I have taken on a part-time job at the Pinehurst golf courses as a Starter/Ranger and was recently elected to the Village Council for Foxfire, effective in January, and will be responsible for Public Safety.
I still teach Community CPR for the local hospital and travel all over North Carolina to teach.
Jen and I have been traveling quite a bit, going to music concerts all over the East Coast, usually making a weekend trip out of it. We have been keeping so busy during our retirement that sometimes we both wonder how we had time for work. Jen and I absolutely love retirement. If I had known how much fun this would be, I would have done it years ago.
We keep in touch with a few other Ex-Po’s as well, including (Insp) Tracy Burgess, who recently visited us with her husband Rich, Sean Morris who lives only a few hours away, and Rose Spershott (Nevill), my mother-In-Law.
Here's our family photo taken at Fairmont Southampton Princess. My mother-in-law Rose Spershott nee Nevill, made history in October 1961 when she joined the Bermuda Police as a Sergeant to assist in setting up a Policewomen's Department, being only the second police woman to do so. (CLICK HERE to read more about Sgt Nevill in the "Hall of Fame" article about Woman Inspector Isabella Lee.)
We plan on visiting Bermuda in March as we need to get our spiny lobster fix and visit family as well.
Editors Note - While communicating with Stephen about the above article he provided me with the brief bio below which he had prepared while standing for office on the Pinehurst village council. He has since written to confirm that he was successful in being elected to the council and will be sworn in next month - December 2025.
