What to do about crime? It is the question being asked from the Cabinet
room to the street corners – and indeed crime is the most perplexing,
bedevilling and stubborn problem of our time. But the Police Department doesn’t
have the luxury of thinking about solutions, they have to act and do so decisively.
So now, they’ve come up with a nine point strategy to address crime in
Belize.
It has been developed and launched in the aftermath of the most murderous
year on record – and in a new year when the murder rate has not abated.
The new measures are aggressive – and some of them could be directly affecting
a neighborhood near you. The Commissioner of Police and his senior command laid
out the new proposals today and we found out that the solution to the big problems
are starting at small substations.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
This police substation on Faber’s Road, long abandoned by police is now
being brought back to life as part of the department’s new nine point
strategy to fight crime in Belize. This will be one of the new operational bases
– similar to the police station in Lake Independence – which will
both now be called precincts. Police have singled out Lake Independence, Collet
and Port Loyola for special interventions and a new way of policing.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“When we look at the crime we notice that the most have occurred in
the Port Loyola, Collet, and Lake Independence and this morning we launch off
from the Mahogany precinct with dedicated and increased patrols in that area
this morning. So we will be having more policing there. Then we will be looking
at the Faber’s Road precinct to launch off from there so we have increased
patrol to reduce the level of crime in that area, the Collet and Port Loyola.
And thereafter we will look at Mesop and increase the level of police presence
out there and we will be providing service to the people; you’ll be able
to make complaints there, we will have a team of investigators and dedicated
beat patrol so that they interact with the community.”
Crispin Jeffries, Assistant Commissioner of Police
“The effort is to relocate all the resources to provide you full service 
And where amiable interaction doesn’t work, some neighborhoods –seen
here in yellow that are now classified as crime ridden. Those will be the first
focus of the new nine point strategy.
Gerald Westby,
“Declaring certain areas of the city crime ridden areas so that the
police may have more authority to go at the bad guys. This is not to restrict
the movement of legitimate or law abiding citizens.”
And what does that mean for those in crime ridden areas?
Gerald Westby,
The powers of the security forces in special areas to undertake search of
any premises, place, or thing that there is a reasonable suspicion of being
therein or unlawful drug or unlicensed or prohibited firearm. So you could search
without warrant. Seize and take away or detain any vehicle or article which
you reasonably suspect is intended to be used or has been used for the connection
or commission of an offense. Arrest any person on reasonable suspicion of having
committed or being about to commit an offense and temporary establish a cordon
around a special area or part thereof for a period not exceeding three hours
in any period of 24 hours. And restrict the freedom of movement of persons or
vehicles in and out of that area. So but we will be sensible and tactful with
our execution.”
There will also be what’s called mobile police stations.
Gerald Westby,
“This is a vehicle that we intend to acquire, or vehicles, and then
we will put police in these areas and if we have a hot spot, we can place a
police precinct there, a mobile station and that will work in that area until
that area is cooled off. It is a strategy that has worked well in Trinidad and
other countries and we will try to see if it works here.”
But it’s not only hot neighborhoods that will be targeted.
Gerald Westby,
“We also intend to go at the drug barons because we realize that the
drug barons are the ones that are fuelling the gangs, the use of firearms. We
intend to collaborate more with the Financial Intelligence Unit, Income Tax,
and the Director of Public Prosecutions to go at their wealth.”
And their phones…
Gerald Westby,
“We are recommending the introduction of a Intercept of Communication
Act. This will assist us greatly with our intelligence capability and gathering
of evidence. Too often the drug barons do not physically engage in the movement
of drugs but certainly we can catch them on conspiracy by getting evidence through
wire intercept. Again we will make sure that safeguards are in place, that we
do not abuse the law abiding citizens’ rights to privacy. You will need
to first go to the Supreme Court, produce sufficient evidence why this person
needs to go up on that person and then you will get the authority from the Supreme
Court Judge. So we will put in the safeguard mechanism in place. And I want
to assure you, as the Commissioner of Police over the last four years that we
did not, I repeat, did not engage in any intercept.”
And for those bail-ees who keep being accused of crimes also a crackdown.
Gerald Westby,
“Too often the criminals go out on bail repeatedly repeatedly and
we are saying that for certain crimes there will be absolute statutory custodial
remand. That is one of the recommendations we would like to make. Once they
are repeat offenders for certain crimes like gun related violence, aggravated
burglaries, and armed robberies – that they be remanded and are not granted
bail but the trial must be held within a particular period of time.
We also want to look at a custody and control order that when persons come
out of prison on patrol for specific offense like armed robbery, gun related
violence, that the police exercise control regime or exercise control over these
people and can enforce curfew on these people so that went they come out here,
they don’t engage in other criminal activities.”
And some of that looking will be done with these: metal detectors that the
police hope to use on crime scenes when they are looking for expended shells
or – as the case may be – grenade fly-off levers.
The Police Department also launched the Crooks report today –
which was developed over six months by Jamaican Policing expert Harold Crooks.
We’ll tell you what’s in the report later on in the newscast.
Email
Print