A marine police officer with tales from his service on the water that ranged from colourful to tragic has been saluted as “an exceptional policeman”.

Alex Arnfield, who was recognised in 1984 for a medal for long service and exemplary conduct, also served in the narcotics division, where he was promoted to sergeant.

Retired Chief Inspector Roger Sherratt recalled Mr Arnfield as “a giant of a man, very strong, very powerful — and a very nice guy as well”.

Born in Cheshire in England, Mr Arnfield started out as a constable in the Manchester City Police from 1963 to 1968. As proved the case for many British officers who applied for jobs in Bermuda, climate played a role in his decision.

Mr Arnfield’s widow, Margaret, said things changed when he “saw an ad for Bermuda while he was walking the beat in Manchester ― on a freezing cold day”.

She added: “The rest was history.”

Mr Arnfield arrived at the island that would become his home in January 1968.

His first posting was to the police western division, followed by spells in the central division and policing traffic.

Mr Arnfield took fitness seriously enough to undergo gruelling Scuba training at the behest of the Bermuda Police Service, under the tutelage of US Navy servicemen, many of whom had served in Vietnam.

“I have never done so many press-ups in my life,” Mr Arnfield recalled for the Bermuda Ex-Police Association.

“The whole idea was to break you, by creating panic situations with the intention of thinning out the 32 who started the course, to find the few who could cope with pressure situations underwater in a war setting.

“As divers know, panic kills more underwater swimmers than anything else.”

In his marine role with the police, Mr Arnfield explored the island’s waters as well as dealing with the aftermaths of wrecks and drownings.

Good-humoured and exceptionally strong at 6ft 4in, Mr Arnfield proved an asset to the police tug-o-war team, and brought an imposing presence to his tenure in police narcotics.

He retired from the BPS in 1993, moving on to reinsurance, followed by working security for the company Waterfront Properties.

The couple’s daughter, Katie, was crowned Miss Bermuda in 2013.

A celebration of Mr Arnfield’s life is planned for this Sunday from 4pm to 6pm at the Coral Beach Club.

Alexander Arnfield, a police officer in Bermuda from 1968 to 1993, was born on July 13, 1946. He died in March 2025, aged 78