Former police officers launch push for fair workplaces
An initiative aiming at probing the fairness of disciplinary processes within the Bermuda Police Service and beyond has been launched by a group of former officers.
Kenten Trott, an inspector who left the BPS on Friday and who was president of the Bermuda Police Association, is chairing the Blue Reform Network, with Teledo Breary, who was a community police constable, as his deputy.
They have already had public support from Nicholas Pedro, former head of the Bermuda Police Service’s crime division, who lost his job after a closed-doors disciplinary hearing in December 2024.
Former superintendent Mr Pedro wrote on LinkedIn last month: “I am proud to be associated with the Blue Reform Network and Teledo's efforts to bring transparency and accountability to where it is needed.”
Commissioner of Police Darrin Simons said last night that a pillar of the BPS’s professional standards process was fairness, which must be balanced with accountability, and noted that there are avenues within the service to deal with grievances.
Mr Trott told The Royal Gazette: “We came together to form Blue Reform Network because we share a commitment to supporting police officers and improving the workplaces in which they serve.
“Stepping away from policing does not mean that commitment ends.”
He added: “We believe in ‘protecting the protectors’ — ensuring officers have the support, advocacy and protection they need to carry out their vital role in our community.
“Through Blue Reform Network, we want to turn that shared commitment into practical improvements, with lessons that can benefit workplaces across Bermuda.”
Mr Trott said the experience of the seven-strong steering committee, most of whom have asked to remain anonymous, was what “helps us understand why this work matters”.
He said: “My contribution includes serving on the Bermuda Police Association executive in various roles for the better part of 15 years, including as chairperson from February 2025 until my last working day in October 2026.”
Mr Breary said the group was focused at this stage on gathering workplace experiences and identifying recurring “significant concerns” where employees feel they have been unfairly treated and have no further redress.
He said BRN grew from conversations among active and former police officers who recognised similarities with their workplace concerns, disciplinary processes and efforts to obtain independent review.
The Bermuda Police Service said last night that since the 2024 Culture Review, a structured programme of work focused on strengthening integrity, transparency, accountability, communication, inclusion and staff wellbeing has progressed.
“Actions taken to date include the review and development of key policies, enhanced professional standards communications, the establishment of a women’s network, implementation of a recruitment strategy and the ongoing review of the Police Conduct Orders 2016 to ensure they remain fit for purpose and aligned with modern policing expectations,” a statement added.
The BPS said that investments were also made in training and professional development, including “Speak Up” training to promote a culture where employees feel confident raising concerns and the implementation of the “SaySo” reporting platform to provide “a confidential mechanism for reporting misconduct, inappropriate behaviour and workplace concerns”.
Other areas covered include mental health awareness, trauma-informed policing, investigations and information protection.
The BPS added that it is working with other parties such as the Independent Advisory Group and is exploring the use of external facilitators to further examine staff feedback and identify opportunities for improvement.
Its statement said: “The next phase of work will focus on staff engagement sessions, continued policy review, leadership development, wellbeing initiatives and the implementation of recommendations aimed at strengthening organisational trust and confidence.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police Antoine Daniels said: “The culture review provided valuable insight into the experiences and perceptions of our officers and staff.
“Since then, our focus has been on taking practical action to strengthen integrity, transparency, accountability and wellbeing across the organisation.
“While meaningful cultural change takes time, we are committed to listening, learning and continuously improving to ensure the Bermuda Police Service remains an organisation where our people feel valued, supported and empowered to serve our community.”
It will initially look at policing and the Civil Service, with an aim to eventually help those across Bermuda’s public, private and charitable sectors.
Mr Breary said: “People can feel alone when dealing with difficulties at work. We came together because we recognised common concerns and wanted to build something that could benefit others.
“Bringing experiences together can help us understand what needs closer examination and where practical improvements may be possible.”
The group is inviting submissions from those with concerns about their workplace experiences, although Mr Breary emphasised there was no requirement to share a personal account in order to become a supporter.
He said BRN was not offering case advocacy at the moment but hoped to eventually build its capacity to “explore advocacy for selected cases where relevant workplace, union, government or oversight channels have been pursued and significant concerns remain unresolved”.
Mr Simons noted last night that he was not aware of the Blue Reform Network.
“However, one of the important principles of the Bermuda Police Service professional standards process is fairness that must be balanced with the need for accountability,” the Commissioner of Police added.
“There are also processes that deal with grievances and allow opportunities for appeal.”
Another priority for the group is to examine the findings and recommendations of the 2024 BPS Cultural Review, identify any resulting action and assess whether experiences shared with BRN relate to the issues identified in the report.
• To find out more, visit theBlue Reform Network website
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