HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC – Police Commissioner Darrin Simons says he has been given the green light to open recruitment to non-Bermudians living on the island after fewer than 10 percent of recent applicants made it through to training school.
Simons earlier urged residents to apply for a career in the Bermuda Police Service (BPS) as he revealed that health, fitness, and psychological challenges limited the number of people taken on to become officers.
Simons said that of more than 100 applicants, only nine were selected to start a training course this week.
“Because of the low numbers of people making it through, I have received permission to open recruiting to resident non-Bermudians,” he said, adding, “Preference will always be given to Bermudian applicants.”
On-island hiring is usually restricted to Bermudians or spouses of Bermudians.
The BPS has a gap of about 50 between its funded establishment and the actual number in its ranks, with an overseas recruitment drive expected to add 15 officers.
Simons said earlier this month that he believes a police service needs to represent its population as best it can. People from Bermuda are best positioned to police Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory with a population of around 64,000.
“I take this opportunity to encourage anyone who is even remotely thinking about a career in policing to apply. Many people have misconceptions about what it means to be a police officer — they see the enforcement side of policing and think that’s all we do.
“That’s part of what we do, but we’re there to help people, and it’s tremendously rewarding to help people in their times of need.”
Simons said the BPS has 370 in its ranks — including many from the Caribbean — and the funded establishment of full-time equivalent posts was increased from the 2022-23 revised figure of 404 to an estimated 424 in 2023-24.
“We want to get to 420, but we’ve got a ways to go. We have just started another round of local recruiting,” the Commissioner added.
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