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As you saw, today’s press conference by the Ministry of National Security was dominated by news of the Pastor Llewelyn Lucas beheading.  But, the truth is, the press conference had been planned a week earlier – as a response to the flare up in gang activity in Belize City.  To begin the press conference, Police Minister Saldivar outlined a re-energized effort at suppressing gang activity in Belize – which has the murder rate on a record pace:

Hon. John Saldivar - National Security Minister
"This year we seem on a pace to equal or exceed last year’s murder count and that has to be a cause for pause by all of us. What we do know and see if a continuation of the gang warfare, a continuation or the senseless killing among our young black youths of the city. Worth of note is the alarming trend that shows an increase in gang membership from just under 800 in 2013 to over 1,000 in 2016. When we add this to the fact that since 2013 over 115 gang members have been murdered it suggest that for every gang member killed, 3 new members are recruited most of whom come from out vulnerable Belize City youth population. Cabinet is determined to take another shot at finding a lasting solution and has tasks the deputy prime minister who has responsibility for youth to lead a task force to come up with some recommendations."

"Since April of this year they have been 17 murders and 17 non-fatal shootings in Belize City. Some of these murders and shootings have been retaliatory while others according to recent police intelligence have been the result of internal gang rivalry among new players competing for leadership of these gangs as well as ongoing intergang rivalries from drug disputes. These rivalries being the principal motivation behind the recent spate of violence has meant that except for one instance the victims have all had gang affiliations. We are thankful then that to this point the interne sign gang warfare has not spilled out into the general population."

"We must therefore ensure that strict policing strategies are used to deal with those who make a mockery of our intervention and mediation by talking nice during the day and killing by night. The mandate of the Gang Suppression Unit has therefore been renewed to deal firmly and swiftly with gang leaders and members to bring them to justice, remove them from our neighbourhoods and communities and place them in jail and from being able to influence an entice our youth into a life of crime."

"This new focus of the GSU must bring with it a zero tolerance for police abuse and brutality but will see swift and firm effective enforcement in a manner respects the fundamental rights and freedoms of all citizens. At the same time we intend with immediate effect to increase the number of police officers in the known gang ridden areas of Belize City. This will be done through the redeployment of officers from other areas in the first instance and then through the assignment of new officers from the recruit squad set to pass out in October. I suspect there may be some who are sceptical about our response of putting more boots on the street; especially since we have been steadily increasing our numbers since 2012. However we have carefully studied the situation in the gang infested areas and have identified specific gaps in the surveillance of those gangs and need to be filled with more boots on the street."

"We are establishing a special investigative team within the professional standard's branch to specifically investigate police officers who appeared to be allied with these gangs. It is our hope though that the retooled strategies by the police will result in a decrease in the number of gang shootings and murders. A decrease in the number of youths vulnerable to the recruitment by gangs and incarceration of those persons determined to create public terror and the continued maintenance of law and order." 

And in what can be seen as a sort of concession that the chemistry between the three eastern division commanders may not be optimal, Saldivar says that the Commissioner will now be meeting with them weekly, and he will do so bi-weekly.

Police say they will also revisit the reinforcement of quality of life crime such as loitering and public drinking.

Since 2012, eight hundred and fifty police officers have been added to the ranks of the police department of which more than half have been deployed to the city.