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Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Officer
"Certainly it took a lot of sacrifice and all of us who embarked on this study. You leave your home behind to pursue in other countries so it was financial and personal sacrifices."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"Was there any point at which you said 'man I can just abandon this and return to Belize and I will still be a senior police officer and get my pension and life will be good'?"

Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Officer
"There were many times when that was in fact the case, but I was blessed with the encouragement of my contemporaries at the law school and as well police officers back home in Belize who continued to encourage with words of encouragement. That was the reason why, but there were many occasions when I questioned 'why am I doing this?'."

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Police
"When it comes to education especially when we have officers who are studying law or getting their degree in law, I think it goes a long way to build the institutional capacity for the department. Especially when it comes to knowledge. I think a lot of these officers who are getting their degrees right now are officers who are also long time serving members of the department. I think it works well for the department because it improves our department. When you look at how we will put these people to good use, their knowledge, their education, I think that you have to sit down and look at how we will maximize their being part of the police department."

Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Officer
"My role is to assist police officers to prepare better files before they go to the DPP."

Jules Vasquez, 7News
"We know that the police department's relationship with the DPP's office was, let's say, broken when the famous Blackett memo went out about 18 months ago and since then there has not been that organic relationship between the department and the DPP's office, we are told. Will the police still be seeking legal advice from the DPP or is it envisaged that it will be doing it strictly in house based on the legal acumen that it has within?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Police
"Well Jules I can't really comment on what you mentioned in terms of broken relationship. I wasn't here for that and I don't really know what the situation is in regards to that. What I can tell you is that if we are to move forward in terms of being better at what we do in prosecution the police department must have a good working relationship with the DPP's office, it cannot work otherwise."

Jules Vasquez
"Now you have these numerous attorneys within the department, however if I'm not mistaken, these people are still being paid like police officers. They are not being paid for their highly specialized knowledge and study. Is that a situation that you will rectify or that you can afford to rectify?"

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Police
"Well Jules, we have to look at it, I am sure that I do remember way back when I was a police officer there's a lot of work that had to be done in terms of looking at qualification versus salary or compensation for your degree that you've earned. I think we have come a long way within the police department in terms of trying to attract more educated persons into the department, trying to support people who go outside and study such as many of our officers who have now returned with their law degrees and I do think we have to look at it and see what compensation the sacrifices our officers to go out and get a degree."

Jules Vasquez
"Do you see yourself continuing to work after whatever serve out your bond, as a lawyer in the police department knowing that right now you're not getting paid to be a lawyer, you're getting paid as a policeman?"

Sr. Supt. Bart Jones, Police Legal Officer
"Yes Jules, but my thing is that, bond aside, my commitment is to continue to serve until reaching the retirement age."

Inspector Llewellyn Usher also went to law school with Williams and Jones. He was called to the bar a year ago and has been seconded to the government service.