One-time Police sergeant turned court clerk Mr. Derek Fletcher bade a final farewell on Friday after more than 45 years in Her Majesty's Service.

Retiring once more than 13 years ago wasn't enough.

His love of policing and all things legal kept Mr. Fletcher, actually named George Donald Derek Fletcher -- "everybody knows me as Derek'' -- coming back for more.

"I'm a firm believer that you can take the boy out of the Police but you can't take the Police out of the boy,'' said the 64-year-old Supreme Court Attendant.

Born in South Wales on January 8, 1930, Mr. Fletcher first joined the British Army in 1948 as a conscript. After leaving the army in 1951, he joined the Birmingham City Police where he served for five-and-a-half years.

It was with a view to gaining outside experience and returning to a promotion in Birmingham that Mr. Fletcher first came to Bermuda in February 1957. Soon after, Mr. Fletcher met his wife, Helen. The two were married in September, 1958, and stayed on in Bermuda to have three children.

When Mr. Fletcher left full-time policing in March, 1981, it was only the next month that he joined the Bermuda Reserve Constabulary, where he was appointed executive officer in October 1981 and later promoted to the ranks of Inspector and Chief Inspector.

He arrived at the Supreme Court -- where he has since become a familiar face in the halls of justice -- in 1986, having found out about the job while working as a civilian in Police Headquarters from 1981-86.

He retires now, still more than six months shy of his 65th birthday, because "I feel like retiring.'' Mr. Fletcher said he has enjoyed his experience with both the Police and the Supreme Court, and says his "whole experience of being in Bermuda has been fantastic.

"I've made many, many friends.'' Mr. Fletcher will now have time to enjoy the sunsets from his aptly named "Sunset Villa'' home on Harbour Road opposite Darrell's Island. He also plans to take some time to travel and do volunteer work.

He's also fairly sure that his wife will have enough chores for him to keep him busy.

"The joke at lunch today was that there'll be a honey-do list...honey do this...honey do that,'' he said with a chuckle.

KEEPER OF THE HILL -- Mr. Derek Fletcher stands outside Sessions House as a Supreme Court Attendant for the last time on Friday.