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Jules Vasquez reporting
We can't say that they made a joyful noise, but that shrill chorus of sirens is the sound of the police celebrating:

ACP Dezerie Magadaleno, OC - Eastern Div. - Regional Commander
"It is a very happy day and exciting day for us whenever we are able to received equipment that will assist us in enhancing our daily work and our operational strategies. It is a blessing for us and we are truly grateful for this day."

And she has the minister to thank - these 15 new Wingles come from the Ministry's funds:

Hon. Elodio Aragon, Minister of State - Home Affairs
"Last time we spoke about receiving 15 new vehicles for the police department. Well it is here and these vehicles will be put directly for the use of the operation to support the men and women on the ground. To give them better mobility, to give them increased response and better response times to calls from general public and to incidents that they need to respond, especially shooting incidents and violent crimes."

ACP Dezerie Magadaleno
"I for one am extremely happy as the regional commander to have received these new vehicles and I know we have already put in place plans where and how the vehicles will assist us in our everyday work. I know that the officers have been spoken to, to ensure that we take care of our resources, because getting the resources is one thing, but taking care of them and sustaining them is another thing."

Another thing indeed, that not even a blessing and a bible in the dashboard can ensure that these new gifts will be handled with care:

Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
"These vehicles yes they will ensure high visibility patrol and will also allow for increase response time, but also we need to ensure that we take great care of these assets, because they are very expensive to replace and it is not often that we received these amount of vehicles. But I can tell the minister that we are looking forward to receiving some more vehicles as early as possible."

The vehicles were mostly assigned to the Special Units - like the GSU - that run the ACT Operation, but the police know more vehicles and more police alone won't stop crime:

Hon. Elodio Aragon
"I am confident that we will continue to deal with this situation. It's not easy and it is not something that can be solved overnight, but I am confident that we have the men and women who are determined to ensure that we make progress in dealing with the situation here, especially in Belize City. And I ask the community - the community and members who lives in those communities especially those who understand what is happening on the ground who may be part and parcel of what is taking place and the families that surround these people, I ask they must also do their part in terms of trying to give us the kind of information that will assist the police department to deal with this situation on the ground."

Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
"We will continue to be out there in the face of those criminal elements who are hell-bent on having the citizens of this great city and country living in fear. We will have setbacks, because that is life, but not because we have setbacks or we are knockdown we will not get back up."

Of course, the police command knows that with government paying for increased mobility and visibility, that if they can't curtail the spiraling murder rate in the city under control, these Wingles might outlast those making the decisions right now.