As noted in that story - police have great confidence in their stepped up patrols - but the truth is that while presence is heightened, communication is still compromised.
The new patrol pickups did not come equipped with radios - and, let's just say, there aren't too many of those to go around. And that's why a donation from the Taiwanese Embassy in Belize was welcomed. It is for 16 analog/digital radios, batteries and chargers.
The donation is valued at thirty thousand dollars - and the Taiwanese mission explained that it is for a tough job, well done:..
Representative from Taiwanese Mission
"We are an ally of Belize for a very long time. We are honored and very pleased in helping in these efforts. With this donation of 16 sets of mobile radio to the police department - we hope that we can strengthen the capacity of the police when they are working very hard to improve the environment for the safety of the Belizean people."
ACP Elodio Aragon - Officer Commanding Eastern Division
"These 16 new radios will greatly assist us when it comes to patrols on the ground. It will improve our communication system and ensure that all our vehicles and foot patrols are best able to communicate with the control room thus giving a better and quick response to the community."
"We don't have a lot of radios right now, but the radios we have - I haven't gotten a report of a radio being stolen or lost for quite some time now and I think that is something good for us and I think that we - putting the systems in place will ensure that these radios are accounted for."
"Ideally I would say if we could get a few more of these radios, maybe 50 radios more would go a long way to assist at Eastern Division."
Aragon would not disclose what percentage of mobile, foot and bicycle patrols currently have radios.
