7 News Belize

Coast Guard Officers Report Each Other To Police
posted (December 10, 2014)

And while they took it to court….two weeks ago, a pair of coast guard officers took it out with fists, and reportedly a gun butt – and then ran to the cops. Now, it's an arm of the military – and fights do happen – but this time, both officers went to make complaints against each other. That's very unusual and today Commander Elton Bennett commented on what they are doing about the fisticuffs in uniform:..

Elton Bennett - Commander, Belize Coast Guard

"There was an altercation between a junior officer and a senior officer on the coast guard compound. Both officers went to the police station to make a complaint against each other and the police are doing their investigations. As it relates to us internally, we're doing an investigation also. From one side it appears though the junior officer was out of line and was confronted by the senior officer, trying to arrest the situation and there was physical contact between the two."

Jules Vazquez

"Fights happen, it's men but usually these matters are dealt with at tribunal levels."

Elton Bennett

"Right, as mentioned we will do out internal investigations and we will handle it internally but both individuals have the right to take this to the police station."

Bennett says coast guard regulations only allow a senior officer to strike a junior officer in self-defence. And while he says the Coast Guard is investigating, the junior officer says that he's being discriminated against by Coast Guard brass and is going to court.

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