Today the police senior command met to discuss security measures for Belize’s independence celebrations. Commissioner Gerald Westby says you should expect an even greater number of police and BDF soldiers on the city’s streets at all events.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“We’ll be having the Explosives Ordinance Team from the BDF will be here to clear the venues where these events will be held. Thereafter we will have police to hold these events and we are increasing the numbers of our police considerably. For example the street bram that will follow on Monday, we will be having over 250 police officers including members of the Anti-Drug Unit, the Special Patrol Unit, the K-9 section, and also complements of the BDF. We will be having almost 20 senior officers on the ground to make sure that we have proper command and control.”
One event the police will be paying special attention to is the “Love Eena Di City” concert at the MCC Grounds this Saturday where security will be especially tight. Police and promoters have doubled the security detail from 25 to 51 and worked out an elaborate grid to secure the open air event. According to Commissioner Westby they have also been questioning a number of so-called persons of interest who they believe can help them ensure the celebrations will be safe for all to enjoy.
Gerald Westby,
“We are working with the organizers of this concert for Saturday night and make sure that we will not only police the concert itself but police Belize City and its environs. Extra police will be working these events but the city will also have extra patrols out throughout starting from this entire week plus especially we will be increasing even more as we go on to the weekend on Thursday right up to Monday night we will be increasing the patrols.
If there is any intelligence coming, we will pre-empt that by following every lead. If it is necessary to detain people we will detain people to investigate whatever impending crime that may occur. So we are doing that. We are interrogating people, we have brought in a number of persons to look and interrogate them, and detain them where possible for investigation purposes of course.”
Commissioner Gerald Westby says police are prepared to take whatever measures are necessary and if that includes detaining anyone over the holiday weekend then that’s what’s gonna happen.
