Our People: Ellison Greenslade

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Ellison Edroy Greenslade was born in New Providence on May 24th, 1961 and attended schools in Cedar Harbor, Abaco; Lovely Bay, Acklins; Kemp’s Bay, Andros; Knowles, Cat Island; and Stephen Dillet in Nassau. Greenslade later graduated from government high school in New Providence and later enrolled in the Police Training College. Upon his graduation, Greenslade continued his studies part-time and subsequently obtained an associate degree in business administration from the University of The Bahamas.

After later serving in numerous divisional command positions in the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Greenslade was promoted to assistant commissioner of police in July 2000.

Upon his promotion, he was transferred to Freeport, Grand Bahama where he spent seven years in the north in charge of Abaco, Bimini and Berry Islands. Greenslade served in this post for seven years making him the longest-serving district commander for the northern Bahamas.

During his tenure, he received national acclaim for his leadership role during the investigations into the disappearance of five young boys and the search and rescue operations in the aftermath of hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma.

He served as the acting deputy commissioner of police from January 1st 2009 upon completion of a one-year secondment with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Canada.

On January 4th 2010, Greenslade was appointed the sixth commissioner of police.

In his decorated law enforcement career, Greenslade received several honors including the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Prime Minister’s Above and Beyond award from then Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.

In October of 2006, he was commended by His Excellency, the Governor General of The Bahamas, during an award ceremony at Government House, for distinguished service for saving lives during a natural disaster.

Greenslade pioneered automation and many other innovations in the Royal Bahamas Police Force and designed the first credit card-size driver’s license now in use in The Bahamas.

Greenslade stepped down as commissioner of police in 2017 to take up his new appointment as high commissioner to the United Kingdom on November 15th that year.

Five years later on December 1, 2022, Greenslade became Bahamas ambassador to South Africa and nine other countries including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Eswatini, Burundi, and Sudan.