Mr. Gerald Augustus Bartlett was born at Eight Mile Rock, Grand Bahama on 21st November, 1921 and received his education at Eight Mile Rock All Age School. He was the last and only son of three children born to the late Robert and Adena Bartlett. As a child, he served as an alter boy in the church, and Bartlett remained an avid church member even in adulthood.

After leaving school, he obtained employment at the Grand Bahama General Seafood Company in West End, Grand Bahama. On 10th October, 1946 he joined the then Bahamas Police Force as a Recruit Constable and underwent Five (5) months of training, after which, he was assigned to General Duties as an Orderly at Government House. Gerald Augustus Bartlett

In 1951, Mr. Bartlett was transferred to the office of the Commissioner of Police as a clerk.

In 1957 he was promoted to Inspector and transferred to the Canteen as Officer-In-Charge and late in 1959, he was promoted to Chief Inspector.

On 1st June, 1960 Mr. Bartlett was promoted to Assistant Superintendent and transferred to Central Division as the Officer-In-Charge. Following this, on 1st December, 1962 he was promoted to Deputy Superintendent and made Officer-In-Charge of both Central and Mobile Divisions.

In June, 1966 he was promoted to Superintendent and was made Officer-In-Charge of the Traffic Division and Superintendent of New Providence and in 1970 he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police and made Superintendent of New Providence District. Between 1970 -1973, he served as Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police responsible for the Grand Bahama District.

In 1973 he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police and served in Administration, Police Headquarters. In 1981 Mr. Bartlett was appointed to the post of Commissioner of Police.
Mr. Bartlett retired as Commissioner of Police in 1987. Following his retirement, he was appointed to the Police Service Commission. The decade of the eighties was a challenging time for the Bahamas and the Royal Bahamas Police. Commissioner Bartlett is credited with the distinction of transforming and leading the Force in meeting the many challenges of his time.

Commissioner Bartlett's career as a police officer spans a period of forty-one (41) years. Throughout his career, he amassed an impressive record of quality service. He maintained an unblemished character and was a sterling example of a police officer with integrity and honour. Commissioner Bartlett was decorated with many noted awards and medals. He was made a Commander of the Victorian Order, Commander of the British Empire and granted the Queen's Police Medal and the Colonial Police Medal by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. The Bahamas Government conferred upon him the Bahamas Sliver Jubilee Award for Law Enforcement.

The life of Commissioner Gerald Augustus Bartlett illustrates that the vibrant endeavor of the human spirit succeeds against the odds. Commissioner Bartlett has made indelible contributions to the development of the Royal Bahamas Police Force and thereby to the development of The Bahamas. He was married to Ethel Manette Bartlett nee Pinder and they were the parents of nine (9) children.

Mr. Bartlett passed away on October 1,1999.