The Eastern Division Police station on Queen Street has a new training room on its third floor. Previously that area had been used as sleeping quarters for BDF and Police Officers working late shifts, but for the past ten years or so it had been abandoned and left in a state. That's until the heads at Eastern Division got the idea to build a proper training facility up there - all they needed was the money, which can often be the hardest thing to find. But that's where the US embassy's International narcotics and law enforcement affairs Office stepped in with some CARSI funding. Today, 75 thousand dollars in material and labour later, the fancy new facility was opened this afternoon - and we found out why it's so important:...
ACP Dezeree Phillips - OC, Eastern Division North
"Trainings for all level officers and all kind of training will be occurring in this facility Jules. The reason why the trainings has to occur here is in house training. The officers are geographically located within Eastern Division North and so we are extremely grateful that we are able to realize a training facility like his that we are able to accommodate our officers' right within the confines of their working environment to receive training. The training will be different levels for all our officers, all rank and file. As a matter of fact, on Thursday of this week, we will be having our first training session in here where we will be having training on suicidal awareness and cancer awareness to commemorate cancer month."
Bob Gibson, INL Coordinator, US Embassy
"So of course if you develop in capacity, then training is the first thing that comes to mind along with equipment, but training is the key to having a really good professional police force. We believe that a stable, healthy, prosperous Belize is in the interest of the United States as well. So anything we can do to assist in developing the capacity of criminal justice within Belize and approve innocent security is good for both of us."
The US provided sixty thousand dollars in material and the ministry provided Twelve thousand dollars in labour.
And while it is for the Eastern Division we only saw the ACP's Broaster and Phillips, commanders from the northside and the rural eastern at today's event. Southside commander ACP Chester Williams was conspicuously absent - as he is at all events held at Queen Street. We asked why:..
Jules Vasquez, 7News
"We repeatedly see events at north side where we don't see the commander of south side, we know there may be personal differences. We've heard and anecdotally. Is the south side involved in this? Are they invited to this? Will they, with whatever personal differences exist be there of their making or not, will the Southside officers be included in these training sessions?"
ACP Dezeree Phillips - OC, Eastern Division North
"Jules, I hold Eastern Division to my heart dearly, and everything I do is about eastern Division, whether its with respect to police officers or the community at large, I have this division at heart. Whatever we do, it will include all three divisions, because that's what it's all about. I won't concede to hear your comments, because I will not be a part of that but I will ensure and I will make a statement to say that whatever we do, it is inclusion of all the 3 divisions."
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