Dear Sir,

How a police service treat their employees can affect how they serve the community. Officers need to feel safe reporting wrongdoing, challenging questionable decisions, and raising concerns without fear of retaliation.

When silence becomes safer than speaking up, an internal workplace problem can become a public problem.

Officers exercise significant authority over people’s lives. The fairness and accountability expected of them must also apply within their organisation, at every rank.

Following your coverage of Blue Reform Network’s launch, we believe the cultural review, released in January 2025, deserves renewed attention.

The review recognised pride in public service, diversity and community. But it also described fear and distrust surrounding professional standards processes. Interviewees reported inconsistent application of policies, the use of the Professional Standards Department as a threat, lengthy investigations, and conflicts of interest. It also recorded perceptions of favouritism within senior leadership.

Commissioner Darrin Simons acknowledged the need for improvement. In November 2025. However, he described transparency and accountability around professional standards as “very high”, while identifying work needed to improve perceptions.

In our opinion, that emphasis played down the seriousness of the concerns recorded in the review. Concerns about processes and treatment require demonstrably fair procedures, effective safeguards and consistent accountability.

Several findings reflect aspects of the workplace culture we experienced. We do not speak for every officer, but our experiences lead us to question whether the underlying concerns have been adequately addressed.

The review’s concerns about consistency also warrant a clear explanation of how the BPS determine restricted duties, suspensions and disciplinary hearings, and how those criteria are applied fairly at every rank.

We acknowledge the actions the BPS outlined in response to the BRN’s launch, including policy reviews, training and the SaySo confidential reporting platform. These are relevant steps. Their effectiveness must be assessed through employees’ experiences, sustained changes in behaviour, and confidence in speaking up.

The BRN asks which review recommendations remain outstanding and what measurable improvements have followed the actions taken. Do officers and staff report greater confidence in fair treatment and consistent accountability? Has the proposed follow-up staff survey taken place, and will its findings be published with individual identities protected?

Policing is our starting point because much of our direct experience comes from that environment. Our concern extends across Bermuda’s workplaces. We also ask how workplace culture is independently assessed within government departments and whether civil servants can contribute confidentially to that process.

Supporting officers and demanding accountability go hand in hand. A fair workplace, where concerns can be raised safely and standards are applied consistently, helps to protect the quality, integrity and community connection of policing in Bermuda.

TEDEO BREARY

Deputy chairman

Submitted on behalf of the Blue Reform Network Steering Committee