FOR FORTY YEARS and three months, Henson Cecil Toppin gave exemplary service as he moved through the ranks of the Royal Barbados Police Force.
As family and friends gathered yesterday to pay tribute to the former lawman at St Paul’s Church, the force remembered him as one who had made an indelible mark on his profession as a general patrolman, detective, prosecutor and administrator.
Toppin, who passed away on January 12, two days shy of his 74th birthday, had risen to the post of senior superintendent before he left the force, where he had made many friends over the years.
Former colleague Senior Superintendant Haskel Bynoe, in giving the tribute on behalf of his colleagues, said over the years he and Toppin, better known as “Maestro”, had developed a true friendship, one that was founded on mutual respect, trust and loyalty.
“My first impression of Henson was that of a person driven by a commitment to excellence, efficiency, integrity and a strong work ethic. It therefore came as no surprise when I learnt that he was known by the affectionate pseudonym of ‘Maestro’ . . . ,” he stated.
Toppin was also recalled as one who was intolerant of indiscipline, disrespect and inefficiency. It was noted that even though you were his friend, he was never inclined to give special treatment or show favouritism.
“These were some of the attributes to which I paid particular attention and used as the primary foundation for my personal and professional development,” Bynoe noted in his eulogy.
In his sermon, Reverend Dr Monrelle Williams recalled Toppin as his personal friend, someone who stood by him through difficult times, even when it seemed as though his world was falling down.
“He was always one to speak his mind. He would cuss me and we would still be friends,” he recalled affectionately.
Williams said he last had a face-to-face meeting with his friend when he visited him in the hospital back in November.
The funeral was attended by the force’s top brass, headed by Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin.
Also present was Prime Minister Freundel Stuart. (CT)