Superintendent Darrin Simons was appointed as the new deputy police commissioner yesterday.

Mr Simons, a 25-year veteran of the service, replaces Paul Wright, who retired at the start of this month.

The new second-in-command said that he was grateful for the “new opportunity to serve Bermuda”.

Mr Simons said the Bermuda Police Service were “a big family”. He added: “There are women and men, both police officers and support staff, that get up every morning and commit themselves to making Bermuda safer — and I am particularity proud to be part of that family.”

John Rankin, the Governor, announced the appointment yesterday afternoon.

Stephen Corbishley, the Commissioner of Police, said he was “delighted” by the news.

Mr Corbishley added that Mr Simons was an “exceptional police officer with a great understanding of local community needs, and a great understanding of the role he will now step into”.

He said: “Mr Simons demonstrates the right skills, the right attitude and the right values to be an exceptional deputy commissioner.”

Mr Corbishley added that the decision to appoint Mr Simons was made after a “thorough selection process”, and that all seven candidates for the job had performed “exceptionally well”. But he said: “Mr Simons was the best candidate on the day.”

Mr Corbishley added that a report that grievances had been filed over the promotion of Mr Simons was wrong.

He said: “The deputy commissioner process was not the subject of any form of grievance.”

However, Mr Corbishley added that there was a grievance over an earlier promotion of an inspector to chief inspector.

He said the filing of grievances was “entirely right to do”.

Mr Corbishley explained: “People who feel they have been mistreated have a right to be heard and the matters looked into.”

But he added: “That matter is entirely separate from the deputy commissioner’s process.”

Mr Simons is a gold firearms incident commander with training from the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is a graduate of Britain’s international commanders’ programme. He joined the service in November 1993.

Mr Rankin said: “I am confident that Mr Simons will serve Bermuda well as Deputy Commissioner of Police, bringing his wide range of skills and expertise to the role.

“There is strong leadership potential within the ranks of the BPS and I continue to welcome the development and commitment of its officers in their work for the community of Bermuda.”

Government House said that Mr Simons had served in a variety of roles with the BPS over his police career and was promoted to superintendent in 2015.

A spokeswoman added: “He will take up his position as deputy commissioner at the end of March 2019 after undertaking the College of Policing’s strategic command course in the UK.” She said Mr Simons was appointed to the post “following an open recruitment process in line with best practice”.

The spokeswoman added: “A strong group of seven senior Bermudian police officers were interviewed, including Superintendent Na’imah Astwood, who was ranked as the second-placed candidate by the interview panel and who has accordingly been chosen to attend the strategic command course in the UK in 2020.”