Michael DeSilva has been appointed director of security and emergency management at the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club.

Mr DeSilva, formerly the Commissioner of the Bermuda Police Service, will be responsible for overseeing the security, safety and wellbeing of the hotel, its employees and its guests.

As part of his role, he will help to train, educate and develop the security team as well as other colleagues in different aspects of security and safety.

In his 33 years with the BPS, Mr DeSilva, a Bermudian, rose from the rank of Cadet, as a 17-year-old, to Commissioner. In this role he had command of 450 sworn police officers, 90 civilian support staff, 75 reserve police officers and 12 police cadets and operated with an annual budget of $68 million.

During his tenure with BPS, he held the position of president of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police and was the world regional chairman for the Caribbean for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He also served as the director of operations for the Government’s Emergency Measures Organisation, which aims to prepare government departments and non-governmental agencies for severe weather events and other disasters, helping to coordinate emergency response and recovery.

Mr DeSilva is a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy, National Executive Institute and the UK College of Policing’s International Strategic Leadership Programme. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Derby.

For his time with BPS, he was awarded the Colonial Police Medal in 2011 for meritorious service, and the Queen’s Police Medal in 2017 for distinguished service.

Tim Morrison, general manager at Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Michael DeSilva into the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club family.

“Michael’s reputation as a committed public servant precedes him and we are confident that he will bring this dedication to his new role and help us to ensure the safety and security of our colleagues, the hotel and its guests.”

Mr DeSilva said: “Hamilton Princess and Beach Club is an iconic institution in Bermuda and I am very proud to become a part of it. I look forward to working with the exceptional team and to ensuring that we put Bermuda’s best foot forward by providing a first class, safe and secure destination for our visitors.”