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He's commented before the police internal affairs - known now as the Professional Standards Branch - had not been the most cooperative with his office when police are the accused. This evening he told us that over the past few months, the relationship has been improving:

Lionel Arzu, Ombudsman of Belize
"We had issue with the police as a whole in the department. Today I must be fair with the police because we have been having monthly meetings with professional standard bureau from the police and the idea of the monthly meetings is to make sure that whatever correspondence that are sent to them, they are able to give us updates. Our think besides giving us updates, we want written correspondence saying yes this is what I have done and I close this case. If we at the office is satisfied with their response, then we close it. If we are not satisfy then we continue."

Reporter
"In the last year, have you seen an increase in reports coming your way in terms of human rights infractions or is there a decrease? Because we haven't been hearing much in terms of people going to the Ombudsman making complaints and nor getting a response and that sort of thing."

Lionel Arzu, Ombudsman of Belize
"Up to mid-year which is June, there is a mid-year reports that goes to subcommittee in the house. We were around 112 plus or minus complaints. And out of those, half of about the police department. Since then we have been going on a downward trend where from what you might be aware or not aware, the police stations are rigged with cameras and so people as policemen are not too incline to beat up on prisoners or people on a whole and so that itself is a deterrent for police officers from having allege abuse prisoners. But on a whole the complaints seemly is going on a down trend and if what I have is true, we should have lesser complaints at the end of the year."

Reporter
"I'll be the devil's advocate here. Do you think that the complaints are not prevalent because they don't have faith in your office - that their complaints are going to be addressed, or do you think genuinely there is nothing to complain about?"

Lionel Arzu, Ombudsman of Belize
"I would want to think that my office is not doing what they need to do, meaning the staff as it relates to complaints. It is more that if you come to my office, there is some redress as it relates to your complaints."

Arzu's contract ends on New Years day, about 6 weeks away, and right now, he's seeking re-appointment from the Cabinet. That hasn't been decided as yet, so we asked him why he wants to keep the job. Here's what he had to say:

Lionel Arzu, Ombudsman of Belize
"As it relates to my tenure. My contracts is up January 2016. I have reapplied for re-engagement, but that is still pending. We just have an election so the house will have a sitting tomorrow and then after that I am hoping they will deal with my case. The job, it has been one of those things that you try very hard to change the face of the office. I know when I came in 2013, we had a lot of complaints and they were complaints prior to I coming onboard that we still had to deal with. Now after almost 3 years in office, our staff hasn't increase much. But the police have done their part. I had said this I think on LOVE FM, that if the police would do what they need to do as a department, because half of the complaints are against them. So if they do what they need to do then it means that we have half our work done."

January 1, 2016 will make 3 years that Arzu has held the post.