Right across the North Coast good and kind words are being said about a retired Special Inspector of Police who died Saturday in a traffic accident.
Special Inspector Arnold Steer, of Bamboo, St Ann, who retired from the Special Constabulary Force in 2011, was returning home from the barber in Brown’s Town Saturday morning, February 15, when the Toyota Probox taxi in which he was travelling got out of control, ran off the road and over a precipice. He was thrown from the vehicle which reportedly rolled over him, smashing his head. He died on the spot. The accident happened near Philadelphia, outside of Brown’s Town.
Special Inspector Steer would have been 63 in April.
At least three other people were injured in the crash.
SECURITY WORK
There was grief in many communities through the weekend as the news spread through the North Coast and especially the towns of Bamboo, St Ann’s Bay and Brown’s Town where he was well known. Though he retired, he continued security work with Guardsman, working at locations within the parish of St Ann.
His family and friends remember him as a “people person.” Businessman Elkanah Small said he was a man known by almost everyone in St Ann and who, although a policeman, was loved by all.
His wife, Marlene who worked with Jamaica National for nearly 30 years said: “He was a loving husband and father. He took care of his children and family.”
One of his three children, Althea Steer, a teacher at Marcus Garvey Technical High School said her father was always jovial and fun and even when they approached him with serious issues, he tried to set all at ease by joking about the matter. She said among their last communication Friday evening was a text she sent him of a joke by an emcee at a function she attended and he responded “This is nice, My Pickney.”
CLOSE FAMILY
She said the family was close knit and though she lives away, only two Sundays ago she was at the family home for Sunday dinner where family members spoke about many matters.
She said on Saturday morning, as was the case every morning, he sent out by text, scripture verses and the one she received was among her last communication with him.
His faith, she said is what is keeping the family strong. “The peace of God is keeping us strong. Daddy was a Christian and we all are Christian, our faith is that God knows best.”
“He was known far and wide, not just in St Ann, as a people person,” said daughter Marlene Steer-Edwards, a teacher at Runaway Bay All Age School. “He was loving, kind and jovial.”
The family attended the Ebenezer Pentecostal Church in Bamboo. Rev Dr Bernard Vincent Dunn speaks glowingly of the family and of Mr Steer who he said “grew up in my hands.” He said Mr Steer was an officer of the Church and important to the musical side of its worship service. Mr Steer and his son, Samuel, were the main musicians at the church, Mr Steer being keyboard player. Pastor Dunn said Mr Steer had been a policeman for nearly 40 years. “He was dutiful as a policeman. He was like part of my family. It’s only a few days ago he said to me, ‘I don’t know when you die what we are going to do without you.’”
CHRISTIAN GENTLEMAN
One of the last persons to see Mr Steer alive was Delroy A Cannon who described Mr Steer as “a gentleman and a Christian who did his job (as a policeman) well.” He said he knew Mr Steer for 36 years during which time he had moved through the ranks from special constable to inspector. He saw Mr Steer Saturday morning and the retired cop announced to him he was going home. “When I heard a few minutes later that he was dead I couldn’t believe that.”
The truth is slowly sinking, in among people who knew and loved the cop, that he is gone.
