The video of Sergeant Devon Makin pistol-whipping a suspect and then telling another man to turn off his cell phone camera outraged many when it emerged over the weekend.
But, not the commissioner - who is also the Sargeant's Godfather. He feels the actions are mostly justifiable.
Today after many requests for comment he invited the media to the Raccoon Street station to take all questions - or at least 12 minutes worth - which is when he tapped out and told Jules he was done talking on that subject.
Here's the whole testy exchange:
Jules Vasquez
"What do you see on that video?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I think that before we jump to conclusions, it is essential that we ascertain what actually transpired. And in this particular instance, the Sergeant had reported off duty and was on his way home."
"On his way home, he was stopped by two minors who were extremely frantic and in fear, who complained to him that the same young man that you are saw in the video with him, and about two other persons were chasing them with mask and firearm."
"He returned and went to see if he could apprehend these individuals. And he met the one who was seen with him in the video. And obviously, the information is that he may be armed. The police would have to take out his weapon to secure his safety, as well as the safety of others."
"And so in so doing, what we normally do if we have a suspect who is believed to be armed is that you would put him to kneel down on the ground on his belly until you could ascertain that he is safe. And the Sergeant attempted to do that, but while he was trying to put the person in either of those positions, the young man was resisting."
"He only have two hands. And so he was holding him with one hand and he had the other gun in the other hand. And so he tried to hit him with the other hand, but that's the other hand that had the gun. Now, I am not going to condone the issue of the pistol whipping, because the truth is the weapon could have gone off and the result could have been different."
"But we have to look at the situation in its totality. And those persons who did the video recording, they know exactly what happened. But as usual, they spliced the video, and just release what need to be released."
"Now, the two minors and their parents had gone to the San Pedro Police Station and have lodged a complaint. But the young man, now, as much as the public is here, crying out for him, he escaped because when the officer went after the other to try apprehend the other, he escaped."
"And from then to now, he has not even resurfaced. He has gone in hiding. So if it is that you know that you are so innocent, you have done nothing wrong, and you believe that the police have abused you, then why can't you come forward and make your complaint and make your case?"
"But he has not done that. So that just goes to show that he knows exactly what he did and he intend to continue hiding from the law, because people are crying the man innocent and this and that, he's not an innocent person and we have to be real."
Jules Vasquez
"So you're pronouncing guilt, sir. You're pronouncing guilt. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. You have now proven him guilty."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"You and Shyne Barrow have pronounced. the officer guilty, both of you. So please don't try and play Pontius Pilate because even when the police is right in the eyes of Jules Vasquez, the police is wrong."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, is this Sergeant Makin your godson? And is your judgment on this issue impaired by the fact that he's a relation?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"What does that have to do with the price of milk?"
Jules Vasquez
"That has everything to do, sir."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Jules Vasquez, it has nothing to do with it. If you want to talk about the issue of relative, and again, you have to learn to be too argumentative and just see things from a negative standpoint, but that is your nature, and I forgive you, right."
"When we have the issue with Inspector Martinez, he's my first cousin, correct? And what happened? My first cousin is more to me than a godson. And if I was able to move quickly on Inspector Martinez, who is my first cousin, then why would I not be able to do so with Mr. Makin? if it were that we were not looking at the thing holistically? I am not Jules Vasquez going to be the type who is going to jump on something because you or Shyne Barrow, wants us to do it. Professional Standard Branch is in the picture. They are investigating. Once the investigation is done, then we see how it goes from there."
Jules Vasquez
"Now, this gentleman, Ryan Christian Melendez, contrary to what you say, my understanding is that he went in and his injuries were classified as harm. And I believe Inspector Serrano, I'm told, was told to investigate."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"There you are again, just focusing on the individual who assaulted or who allegedly assaulted two minors with a weapon. You forget totally the rights of those two minors. Imagine if those two children were your children and they were being chased by an individual with gun and mask. Would your reaction be the same?"
Jules Vasquez
"Clearly he was not found with a gun."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"It doesn't matter Mr. Vasquez, the question to you is would your reaction have been the same? I'm sure not."
Jules Vasquez
"But that is not at issue. You already told us one lie in saying you can't find the guy, now you're accepting that yes it did come in for harm that is a mis-truth, sir."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"You tell you the man came in for harm?"
Jules Vasquez
"I'm asking you. Well, how do I have his name, I have the man full name Ryan Christian Melendez."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"You are the media, the same way how..."
Jules Vasquez
"...Co-worker of San Mateo."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"...The same way Brady Tillet contact you and give you interview despite being one of Belize's five most wanted and you entertained him. That is you, people come to you and I respect that, but not because they come to you means they come to the police. We are we are waiting for him."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, I got that information from the police, so let's move on, I believe that he went in and his injuries were classified as harm and it can be investigated but sir the obviously when the Sergeant Makin made an incredible statement after that he will do what he feels is in his own right, he's autonomous basically that he's self-governing, he doesn't follow - I don't know if that's procedure that you all teach that when you when you force someone to submit as you necessarily must, but then you pistol whip them. I don't know if that is in the police procedure."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I made it very clear just now that I have an issue with a pistol whipping. I have said that already and I will say no more about that."
Jules Vasquez
"We know that disciplinary charges you have to approve. Will you approve such being brought against your godson?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Mr. Vasquez, I brought a scenario to you earlier where i said to you that inspector Martinez is my first cousin and despite that he was charged, so please don't try to come and make things seem like, oh because of certain people they are privileged, I don't work that way, so please don't try to paint a different picture okay. I know that is your nature but sometimes try to tone it down Mr. Vasquez."
Jules Vasquez
"Would you support..."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Things is not always the way you see in your world right."
Jules Vasquez
"I don't know what you're talking about, but should the person have been stopped from trying to capture him? He then left what he says is an armed man, what you say is a man that's armed, he no have no gun you know, but you say he's dangerous but then he abandons the dangerous suspect and then turns to a man with a camera. How suspicious, how sketchy is that behavior? If the man is so dangerous you abandon him to go and stop a man with a camera, when what you're doing supposedly is all above board, you are pursuing law and order. It does not fit sir."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"So have you ever done the work of a policeman for a day?"
Jules Vasquez
"No, sir."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Okay when you have a situation like that Mr. Vasquez those persons who were recording were part and parcels of the same enterprise of that young man, so not just because he... as a matter of fact, the police could not even have ascertained at that point if he was armed or not, but the information is that he was armed."
"The police must act as if he was. Those other persons who were in the immediate area, they too, poses a threat to the police because one of them could have well had the gun that the young man had. So at the end of the day..."
Jules Vasquez
"But he said stop capturing him."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"For him to have pay attention to them would not be unusual because when you are in a situation like that, you have to pay attention to everybody around because you don't know who is who."
Jules Vasquez
"His specific request to them, directive, command, was to stop capturing him."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Anyhow, I am done with that matter. You have your own perspective. You already find the policeman guilty. So I am done with that."
Jules Vasquez
"Is the public allowed to capture police in the conduct of their duties?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Yes, they are."
Jules Vasquez
"Should they be dissuaded or stopped?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"So long as they have sufficient distance that is not obstructing the police and carrying out their duty, they can do so. And where that matter is concerned now, I rest it because you already have your view that you believe no matter what, because your intention is always to murder the police and bury them."
Jules Vasquez
"No, sir, I'm trying to get at this clique of police that surround you. The Makins are a big part of it. We have one here right now who is your driver. We know that they are part of the SPU, which is another family relation. This is the inner sanctum of the police. This is your clique, my brother."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Mr. Vasquez, I'm trying not to say certain things to you. Before we talk about cliques and people who engage in misconducts, we must look around us. Do not take the specs out of somebody's eye when your eyes are full of specs."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, you are the paramount police officer in our country."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I am done with that matter, please move on."
7news is reliably informed that the 22 year old who was pistol whipped gave a statement and had his injuries classified as harm. We will see what comes out of the PSB. investigation. But, we note that no criminal or disciplinary action can proceed against a police officer without the Commissioner's approval.
