And two months after 7News broke the story about a rising tide of outlaw activities in Santa Elena, the first Santa Elena Police substation was inaugurated this morning on Carillo Puerto Avenue. Fully equipped with a police mobile, two motorcycles and highly 29 trained police officers. Jomarie Lanza was there and here's what she reported.
Over the past few months Santa Elena in the Cayo District, has been riddled by numerous clusters of crimes, ranging from shootings to robberies and even murder. It has surely put a strain on the Santa Elena San Ignacio Police branch which is situated in the heart of San Ignacio. Having to monitor both towns and ensure the safety of citizens has been a challenge over the years due to its growing population and expanding communities. The only solution would be to open another police station, and while that is still currently in the works, the Belize Police department has adapted a temporary solution to the problem. And so today the inaugurated Santa Elena's first Substation.
Earl Trapp, Mayor, Santa Elena San Ignacio
"This sub station will act as a deterrent to criminals and it will make the response time to crime in the area much more prompt so it is very key and important in this area. It is key to note that we are remodeling a park in this area it's a state of the art park that I'm sure many children and families will use so it's important to have a substation just almost in front of the park."
"I think this basically the Central Park of Santa Elena and I think yes it was strategically chosen the minister said that the place that they will use it's more on the Loma Luz boulevard which will move away from here but I think this is more central but because of the lack of land we had to get the land in that area but yes it is strategically placed."
And also strategically planned. The Compol says there isn't any need to pull resources from any of the other branches to equip this substation. He says the only thing they had to do was pull enough police officers, a few from each district to be stationed here in Santa Elena
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"In the first instance we have 29 police officers led by an inspector of police that is going to be Mr Orlando Gonzalez he has with him two sergeants and 26 constables and corporals so we are hoping that in the next few months once we take on another recruit squad, we will be able to take the number to 60 in the second instance so we are going in terms of phases so first phase 29 second phase 60 and then third phase we want to see it reach to at least 90 or 100 officers."
"With this station opening we are not taking away any resources from anywhere in the country other than human resources in terms of the vehicle resources and computers, desks, etc. those are provided by the ministry through our minister."
"Basically in terms of getting the vehicles and motorcycles and the office equipment. It ran around 200,000 and well the human resources as I have said in my intervention those were taken from all across the country. I took two police officers from each formation, and those officers were sent here."
It is a huge milestone for the department and the Ministry Of Home Affairs which played a vital role in funding this project.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Today is a very proud day for me as minister as you can tell from the sighs of relief from the resident of Santa Elena satisfaction and gratitude that they have expressed this police station is something that they have been wanting for quite some time now as far back as 2010 it was promised and so I am extremely proud to be working along with our minister from the community honorable Alex Balona to be able to inaugurate this police station today. Certainly it will increase the presence of the patrols of police officers within the Santa Elena area. as you can see, it is strategically located within one of the areas that is considered a hotspot within Santa Elena and so the opening of this is something that we are extremely proud of at the Belize Police Department."
But the work simply does not stop there. The location for the official Santa Elena Police station has already been found and construction is scheduled to begin very soon.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Yes we already have the grounds secured for the new Santa Elena police station and you heard minister Balona mention he was very instrumental in making sure that we were able to get the land on Loma Luz Boulevard and our minister in his presentation alluded to the fact that the police station would be built through CABEI funds so we are looking at perhaps about a year and a half to two we should be having the new Santa Elena Police station."
