It made the news - and got the attention of the new police minister John Saldivar - because the GSU was publicly implicated, again, for police brutality - with a political directorate that had become wary of bearing the political costs for the unit's excesses.

Minister Saldivar convened a three person team lead by former police commissioner Hughington Williams to investigate.

That team submitted its report last Wednesday and the main findings were released to the media an hour ago.

We quote directly from the release which says, "The team found the behavior of the Police Officers…in Taylor's Alley…to be excessive and unjustifiable."

It adds that while there are occasions for the use of force, this was not one of them.

The investigating team found that the Police took the complainants by surprise and they received immediate compliance.

And so, with that, the Ministry has decided, first, that all ground commanders and individuals identified as those that were excessive in their behavior will be removed from their specialized units - meaning the ADU and the GSU.

Second, overall training on law and procedure will be given to all members of those specialized units, and thorough review of the criteria for membership of specialized units will be done.

And while these steps will be taken, disciplinary charges will not be brought. Additionally, after rapping the police on the knuckles and seeming to emasculate the GSU, the release says that, quote, "while a stern message of zero intolerance for police brutality must be sent to Police officers….the work of the specialized units will continue and there will be no tolerance for criminal activity of any sort."

The release ends on a fairly remarkable note saying, quote "The Ministry of National Security apologizes, on behalf of the Commissioner and members of the Belize Police Department, to the residents of Taylor's Alley for the excessive behavior of its officers."

That's a definite "wow", making it the first time - to our knowledge - that the authorities have publicly and officially apologized to a neighborhood affiliated with a street gang.

The internal fallout is expected to be great - as some of the GSU - which was Superintendent Marco Vidal's handpicked unit, is expected to be re-assigned.