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It was difficult to count heads, but we'd estimate the number to be somewhere between 3 to 4 hundred people.

Police Officers, were joined today by residents, students, and members of the city council - including the Mayor, for the second annual BLACK parade.

The atmosphere was quite celebratory. And why not?

The year has seen a significant decrease in the rate of City homicides since the last couple of years.

ACP. Chester Williams, OC, ED South, Co-organizer
"Well, one must look at the message that the march represents and I think that it's a good message. We call upon people to stop the killing, put down the gun and try to be more peaceful. It is a march that is geared at promoting peace. You would know that separate from this march, we also have other committee policing projects because this is also a committee policing. We have other committee policing projects that we do daily like our daily meet and greets with the new recruitment of young people to our cadet program. We do family day and other sporting activities so we do a lot of other committee policing projects that is geared at keeping the momentum in terms of promoting peace."

Emanuel Pech
"And this compliments all of those things?"

ACP. Chester Williams, OC, ED South, Co-organizer
"Yes it does."

Emanuel Pech
"Is it working though?"

ACP. Chester Williams
"Yes it is working."

Hyacinch Cuellar - City Council
"I feel that my participation is very important because I am representing the Belize City council on the south side. The mayor is on the north side representing the council as well. When we work together with the police department, I believe that we can achieve many things and they are doing a good job trying their best to ensure that Belize City stays peaceful as much as possible. So we have to give them back that support."

Several southside students joined the march this year.

Hyacinch Cuellar - City Council
"I am very happy that there is so many children out here participating today. In particular if you notice, my shirt, we are representing the child advisory body for the Belize City council. So our children are participating as well and having them see what the police are doing to try to keep the peace is a very good thing for them and for us at the council."

Emanuel Pech
"What's your experience in dealing with youths? What are some experience that they've shared with you as their teacher?"

Vernadelle Baily - Teacher
"My students can come in and tell me 'miss it happened last night right in our area, in our home, my brother got shot' and it really is influencing negatively the area where they live and my kids. Personally I have experienced the innocent shooting of my relative from gun violence. He was just sitting there and my family is personally affected so this means something to me too."

Jaheme Anthony - Primary School Student
"Be loving, cease killing, 2016."

Emanuel Pech
"How do you feel to be out here though?"

Jaheme Anthony - Primary School Student
"I feel great. I feel good."

Emanuel Pech
"Do you think it's important to be here?"

Jaheme Anthony - Primary School Student
"Yes sir because it's to stop the killing."

Emanuel Pech
"Why though?"

Jaheme Anthony - Primary School Student
"Because if you go kill out there, you don't know what you're killing or if you're killing someone's loved one."

The South Side crowd converged with the North and Rural Commanders and their crowd at the stop light on Free Town Road. From then the parade wound its way through Victoria Street and other city hotspots in an attempt to spread the BLACK message.

Reporting for 7 news Emanuel Pech.

The parade ended with a rally at the BTL Park.