Former Cayman Islands Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne says he sees the recent announcement that he is to receive the prestigious King’s Police Medal as a welcome accolade to “top off” his seven years in Cayman.
Governor Jane Owen announced on Friday that Byrne was being awarded the medal for his services to policing in the Cayman Islands and in support of other British Overseas Territories.
Speaking from Spain where he is currently on holiday, Byrne told the Compass he was “deeply honoured” and “quite frankly, chuffed” by the announcement.
“It really crowns and tops off and makes very special my time in the Cayman Islands,” he said, adding that he hopes it is seen as reflecting on the local community as well.
It’s unusual for an Irish officer to receive a King’s Police Medal, and Byrne says he is unaware of anyone else from the Republic of Ireland receiving one. Several officers from Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, have received the medal.
“It’s not a medal that’s given to Irish police officers,” Byrne said. “I’m getting it in my capacity as commissioner of police in the Cayman Islands.”
The King’s Police Medal was established in 1909 to recognise the gallantry of police officers.
Following a 36-year career with An Garda Síochána – the Irish police service – which culminated in his most senior role there as assistant commissioner, Byrne was appointed to head up the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in 2016.
He has not been back to Cayman since leaving the role in September last year, when he was succeeded by Caymanian officer Kurt Walton, but he says he hopes to visit again.
He admits it was hard for him to leave Cayman.
“It was a brilliant place to be for seven years,” he said.
Byrne said he had been inundated with congratulatory calls from Cayman, Ireland and other places.
Since leaving Cayman, Byrne says, he has been working with the Irish Department of Justice on immigration policies relating to asylum applications.
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