The Police Department today accepted 80 more police officers to form part of their ranks. Just in time for the busy Christmas season today Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby told us that over 60% of them will have their first days on the job as part of the units in Belize City.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
"60% of the these recruits, about forty six, will be coming to Belize City immediately to work on the streets so we will be having additional police and we have been able to get a few more BDFs to complement our efforts in Belize City. So we are confident that the spate of violence that we have seen over the last week or two will be under control. Visibility proactively prevents crime along with other intelligence but it needs a multi-sectoral approach. We need to get other organizations, NGOs and government, to churches and everybody involved. It is not about one particular organization or entity, it has to be a multi-sectoral, multi-faceted approach and that is why we are reaching out in programs like these and other areas. We need everybody to get together and address the other root causes of crime."
Of the 80 graduating officers 6 are female and 74 are male. The baton of honor was awarded to Officer Germaine Hyde Sr.
