Last night, we also had an in-depth look at the Police Department's 2018 - 2020 National Crime Fighting Strategy.
It's a new focus for the department as it tries to combat major crimes, and the technocrats in the Department and the Ministry took 2 years to put it together. It's such a densely packed list of changes that we were not able to get to all of them in our coverage from yesterday. So, we have a bit more of it for you tonight.
Here's how Police Commissioner Allen Whylie explained how his department intends to deal with gun control, and the prosecution of gun related offenses:
Allen Whylie - Commissioner of Police
"The Belize police department will aggressively seek to eliminate the proliferation of illegal guns and ammunition country-wide through the collection and analysis of intelligence. The Belize Police Department will ensure that all guns upon being presented for renewal of licenses are test fired and the results entered into he integrated ballistic identification system. The Belize Police Department will ensure that all firearms and or expended shells are recovered and promptly sent to the international forensic science services for ballistic examination and analysis. The Belize Police Department will intensify operations aimed at disarming criminals, intensify spot checks and vehicle check points, traffic control and stop and search in particular sectors/zones. Also road policing will be done to curtail the movement of criminals to seriously disrupt criminal activities and to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of crime and violence, the enactment of an anti-gang legislation. Amendment to the current firearm act in the following areas, creation of the offense of firearm trafficking, creation of the offense of ammunition trafficking, the enactment of a Witness Anonymity Act, which would allow for non-disclosure of the identities of witnesses in criminal cases of murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, robbery, attempted robbery, rape, where the offense or injury of death was caused by firearm or other offensive weapon or where the commission of the offense involves a firearm or another offensive weapon. Enactment of legislation to allow for admission of video identification and other digital and audio evidence in judicial proceedings. This will include close circuit television footage retrieved form cases, video identification parades, witness album display system, and custody image system."
As a part of this new crime fighting strategy, the department will also strengthen their efforts to discipline misbehaving police officers. Closer collaboration will be sought with the Office of the Ombudsman by the Commander of the Professional Standards Branch. They who will hold monthly meetings to discuss complaints from members of the public against police officers.
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