And this most recent murder occurred at the start of the current state of emergency. As we told you, the commissioner proposed a 6 month SOE - which is unprecedented. He explained, however, that it's not set in stone. But if it comes to that, he will not hesitate to ask for the extension. As he puts it, they'll do whatever it takes.
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"Honestly, while I am lobbying for it to be for six months, it will allow us, and the main reason for that, it was based on a threat assessment. And the assessment went from high to critical, and there was a need for us to do something drastically."
"Hence the reason I was lobbying, I was trying to see if we can put a six months in the first instance. But in any case, our strategies have always been on threefold; the prevention, the intervention, and enforcement strategies."
"So we are doing all that we can to ensure that we return normalcy to the streets in Belize City"
Reporter
"Why was Roaring Creek chosen? Because no shootings or murders happened in Roaring Creek."
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"Now, like I mentioned, whenever we recommended the SOE, it's based on a threat assessment. And the threat assessment in those areas that are affected was at a critical level. Hence the reason they were included."
Reporter
"So do you believe it won't go as long as six months? Maybe three months will suffice?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"Like I said, our strategies on the ground is based on the context on the ground. We have a wide continuum of policing strategies available to us. Where on the continuum we place the police department depends on what's on the ground."
Jules Vasquez
Sir, the state of emergency is not a policing strategy. It is a blunt instrument of the state to suppress people's rights, to see a judge."
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"Like I'm saying, we have a wide continuum of policing strategies available to us. We have a wide community policing to combat policing. Where we place the police department on that continuum, it's based on the context on the ground. And we will do everything that is possible to return peace, stability and normalcy to the ground."
"Please appreciate that the state of emergency is to allow the investigators to continue their investigation without interruption or hindrance from the gang elements."
Jules Vasquez
"Prime Minister said that it's not a state of emergency but a gang intervention period. This seems an attempt to sanitize what is a suspension of people's constitutional rights. Are you in support of this language, gang intervention period?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"It's the police department that has been lobbying for it to be referred to as a gang intervention period."
Jules Vasquez
"But, sir, that's a bastardization."
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"We're in support of the gang intervention period."
Jules Vasquez
"But, sir, that means that it's an illustration that all policing tactics have failed, and we now just have to use the most blunt and crude instrument of the state to just pick you up, lock you up, no judge, go."
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"Like I mentioned, we will do everything that is possible to return normalcy, peace and stability to the streets in Belize City."
Jules Vasquez
"Even at the cause of the rights of persons?"
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
"I'm saying that we will do everything that is possible within the context of the law, within the context of the constitution, to return normalcy to the streets of Belize City."
As we noted, today's murder led to the immediate detention of persons who had been initially held under the SOE and then released.
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