7 News Belize

Police Turn Up The Charm
posted (November 17, 2016)
Next week, the Eastern Division police department plans to turn up the charm on Belize District residents. It's called CHARM week - and ACP Edward Broaster explained the meaning at a press conference today:...

ACP Edward Broaster, People's Committee Ex Officio
"CHARM is the acronym for "Changing Heats And Renewing Minds." For the week we will be doing a host of community activities to benefit the community and to try and build that relationship with the police and the community."

ACP Chester Williams, People's Committee Ex Officio
"Many members of the community feel comfortable speaking to us as commanders, because they see the effort that we are doing. They report to us what they see our officers are doings on the ground. These are things that never use to happen in the past. So we are seeing that the public have become more receptive to us as police officers and we want to continue to build on that relationship. Yes we know it is a tough sell at times, because like you rightly said, police have done wrong to many people out there, but we want those people to understand that whatever has been done to them in the past, we can still dialogue and find common grounds in areas and those areas where we find common ground, we work on them. We now have the civilian component through the people's coalition and when people see the civilian component interacting with the police getting out there, then it becomes a better sell. People may feel more comfortable, because it's not just been driven by police, but by a coalition that is headed by civilian personnel. Everything that we are doing for the most part, Belizeans are very much appreciative of the work that we are doings. They appreciate the effort that we are making to try and transform the community."

ACP Edward Broaster, People's Committee Ex Officio
"As commanders, we are trying to change the status quo of police abuse and what have you, so that police can understand that community policing and working with the community is the best way."

CHARM week will see police making a number of community interventions, including a number of public awareness documentaries which will air on local channels.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize