St Helena : St Helena - Derek Thomas, Chief of Police Emeritus
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 18.06.2009 (Article Archived on 02.07.2009)
Derek Thomas has taken early retirement after a career in policing which spans more than 30 years.
St Helena - Derek Thomas, Chief of Police Emeritus
Derek Thomas has taken early retirement after a career in policing which spans more than 30 years.
Derek joined the St Helena Police Force as a Cadet in 1977. He trained to be a policeman and by 1979, he had been promoted to Police Constable. In the same year, he undertook overseas training and returned to the police force later that same year.
Derek then served as Acting Sergeant on occasions, and was promoted to Sergeant in 1983.
By 1984, Derek had quickly progressed to the position of Inspector and with this promotion, he became public prosecutor.
Following overseas training in 1987, Derek returned to the Island to deliver training to various members of the police force. This allowed him to pass on his skills and knowledge in policing.
On several occasions he acted as Assistant Superintendent of Police and in 1988, Derek was placed in charge of the Ascension Island Police Detachment.
Derek continued with overseas training during the 1990s and was appointed as Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1997. By now, he was a full time member of the senior management team within the Police Force.
By 1998, Derek was appointed as Counterpart to the Chief of Police and in 2001 he took on the Chief of Police position. His training and experience with the police force made him qualified and experienced for the post which he remained in for just over 10 years.
As Chief of Police, Derek was responsible for the police service, HM Prison, fire and sea rescue, vehicle inspections, vehicle and driver licensing, disaster management and immigration. He was the Designated Fire Chief, the Superintendent of Gaols, and Chief Immigration Officer. As a head of department he also had other responsibilities which included the overall management of the department, its staff and its budget.
Despite his head of department responsibilities, Derek continued to work with his team to police the Island. This saw him deal with various cases and, like other members of his staff, he could also be seen on duty.
In view of Derek’s loyal and dedicated service to the Police Force, Governor Gurr has offered Derek the honorary position of Chief of Police Emeritus. Though this, Derek will continue to be involved in policing, with the St Helena Government drawing on his experience as necessary.
The St Helena Government takes this opportunity to thank Derek for his long and dedicated service and to wish him long and happy retirement.
Public Relations/Information Office
Office of the Chief Secretary
18 June 2009
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