The Bermuda Police Service have renamed a meeting room at Hamilton Police Station in honour of the first Bermudian-born commissioner.

The Commissioner Frederick C.B. “Penny” Bean Community Meeting and Media Room was unveiled at a ceremony attended by members of the police service and the family of Mr Bean, who died last December, aged 82.

Mr Bean was also the first black officer to hold the top police job on the island.

Romaine Bean, Mr Bean’s widow, said: “I am so happy and thankful that the Bermuda Police Service did this in his honour.

“He would be totally thrilled to know that this had been placed in his name.”

Mr Bean joined what was then the Bermuda Police Force in 1956, aged 19, and was appointed to the top job in 1981, which he held for nine years before retirement.

Mr Bean forged closer ties to British, American and Canadian police services, and established a joint police and customs drug importation squad during his tenure.

He also created the Police Community Relations programme, the first fraud squad and improved living quarters for single officers coming from overseas.

Mr Bean was also behind improvements in internal communications, including a sophisticated secure multichannel radio system, the combined operations centre at Prospect and the 911 emergency system.

He also spearheaded initiatives such as the parish constables programme, which Stephen Corbishley, the present Commissioner, relaunched in March.

Mr Bean was appointed an OBE when he retired.

He also held the Colonial Police Long Service Medal, the Colonial Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service.

Mr Corbishley unveiled a plaque in the media room that honoured the life of Mr Bean.

Cole Simons, the Shadow Minister of Education and a son-in-law of Mr Bean, said the late commissioner was a mentor, disciplinarian and family man.

He said: “He had many stories about his struggle as a black policeman and the first black commissioner.”

He added: “It made him all a better person and he made sure that all of his grandchildren knew of his legacy and contribution to Bermuda.”