Derek Haines gets Queen’s honour
Derek Haines, Detective Chief
Superintendent, RCIPS
Friday, November 4, 2005
On 2 November, in the halls of Buckingham Palace, Queen
Elizabeth II presented Detective Chief Superintendent in the Royal Cayman
Islands Police Service (RCIPS), Derek Haines, with the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM).
On the occasion Mr Haines was one of only one hundred
people invited to the Palace to receive awards of varying kinds – some as high
as Knighthoods.
However, at the noontime investiture event, Mr Haines
held the distinction of being the only award recipient from an overseas
territory.
In addition, he was one of only three recipients from the
field of the police service. Other recipients were from varying areas of
public service in the United Kingdom.
For Mr Haines, a son of British soil and a 40-year
officer in the police service, this was his first time in the Queen’s official
residence. His wife, along with their two children who are studying at
University in the UK, also attended the event.
Mr Haines also stood out at the occasion because of his
decision to wear the RCIPS uniform for the occasion.
Mr Haines explained, “The Governor (of Cayman) informed
me some time ago of the award. I acknowledged it proudly and agreed to travel
here to receive it.
“I am very honoured to receive this medal. I see the
award as a reflection of the work of my team of officers and of the RCIPS as
well.
“In 1999 I received the Colonial Police Medal (CPM).
Prince Andrew presented that award to me in the Cayman Islands. I am very
proud to be selected for this, even higher honour.
“I decided to wear the RCIPS uniform because of how proud
I am of the Service. That made me stand out because all other males were in
suits and the RCIPS uniform has shirt sleeves and an open collar.”
Mr Haines was born in Leicester, England and joined the
police service there in 1965.
From there he served in Hong Kong from 1980 to 1983, at
which time, he returned to duties in his hometown.
In 1992 he took up a post in the Turks and Caicos
Islands, where he served until 1995 when Mr Haines joined the RCIPS in
February 1995.
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