And while they are here to cover Jasmin Hartin's epic fall from grace, most in Belize are mourning the loss of Jemmott, a well loved cop who had served all over the country.
Now, we know he was not universally loved - we get that - but the big cop with his easygoing style had won the hearts of most he had come in contact with. Jules Vasquez called him "friend" - and so did many other - tonight he looks back at the legend of Henry Jemmoth:
Henry Jemmoth was an immense man - a shade over 6 feet tall and a few pounds over 300 - he carried that size for good reason - because he was so many things to so many people.
His friend Sean Kuylen said this "Griga boy he called a family member was a protector:
Sean Kuylen, Childhood friend
"Always a protector, protect to a fault, to a T - that man was protecting me for years, like from primary school straight up to last Thursday. Ingrained in him in his DNA he was always a protector, nobody could bully me at school, he was physically bigger than me and he use to protect me."
And he also wanted to protect his community:
Supt. Henry Jemmott
"What we're doing is that we're trying to bridge the gap between the community and the police and I believe by us going into the communities finding persons who are needy or less fortunate and we get to those people, because 90% of the time those are the people who would be more prone to committing crimes."
The Mayor of San Ignacio said he also felt protected when Jemmott was the OC in his town:
Mayor Earl Trapp, Mayor - SI/SE
"(silence) It's heartbreaking because we have lost a good soldier, a good police officer we have lost a warrior."
He built that reputation on the mean streets of the Southside where he was feared and respected:
Darrel Usher, Trained By Jemmott
"We were still very effective better than some of the teams today who have like 6 men per truck. We were still very effective because during that time we recovered several firearms off the streets and several drugs seizure especially with Jemmott. That's why Jemmott garnered the name "big hog" through Kraal Road, because you does have a tendency when you go through Kraal Road, he know there were drugs through the open lots and thing like that through George Street and he digs and digs until he find it. It doesn't matter how they would stash it he would find it."
But not only a street cop, he was a very ambitious police officer:
Sean Kuylen, Childhood friend
"He was very proud that every time he made a succession in ranking, he was the youngest in history in this country to become promoted every time and that's why it was calculated in his mind that by age this he could have been commissioner of police because he kept calculating and calculating and rising and rising."
Marie Jemmott Tzul, Henry's sister
"He looks to aspire; he was aspiring to be commissioner sometime and stuff like that. So he's like counting I'm 42 and then this one is 50 - so he was aspiring to be the next commissioner in years to come."
Darrel Usher, Trained By Jemmott
"Jemmott always had the push to accomplish a lot, so before Jemmott became corporal, anybody could tell you Jemmott would always have his corporal pin right underneath the button for his shirt, like he has it hidden, but in his mind he already himself at that rank, so he has it there already. So to every rank that he goes, it's the same thing. When he became corporal, afterwards he had that sergeant thing cover up right there. To inspector, the same thing - he was always aiming for that other rank."
Sean Kuylen, Childhood friend
"So he looked forward to his career, he looks forward to family and look forward to life. Thats was Henry Jemmott."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Personally I knew Mr Jemmoth very well. There are times that we do not see eye to eye on certain issues. We clash at times, but at the end of the day we both have the best interest of this department at heart. As a leader I am not the type who, contrary to what my friend Jules would say, who believe that people must be yes sir into me. I like challenges, because challenges do make you better as a leader and Mr. Jemmott was one of those persons who really and truly at times challenged me."
And that was his style - ambitious, assertive, but also a devoted a family man:
Marie Jemmott Tzul, Henry's sister
"My brother loved life, he loved life he had passion for his work, he did his work with integrity he did his work with a passion. And that's the way he loved his family as well. My brother loved people, loved people."
Mayor Earl Trapp, Mayor - SI/SE
"And I can tell you he was a loving father and a loving husband because I visited his home on several occasions and the way he treated his family is unprecedented."
A family man, from a strong family:
Sean Kuylen
"And every time we would have a barbeque and stuff what you think would happen, Garifuna drums would come out and a little facetime with his family in Los Angeles or Dangriga or wherever in the world, because it was always happy, jovial Henry Jemmott "king". Loved life to the maximum and if you want to know why they called him "king" it's because the marriage had lots of children and all of them were girls and he was the only one boy and that why he was the king, king of the house. last child and he was spoil."
Marie Jemmott Tzul, Henry's sister
"I called him the big small brother because he's the youngest of the family, but he's so big! And we look up to him for everything and they look up to me as the female for everything."
A big man, but as a boy, a drummer from Dangriga:
Sean Kuylen, Childhood friend
"We have been dancing and drumming from I was 7 years old and I as old as Henry Jemmott at the time of his passing, so that is a long time. We talk about dancing and stuff because we were on a band together which was the "Griga Boys Band" which I was the founding member. Jemmott was actually the shaka man and turtle shell man and Jemmott whap turtle shell until the stick broke."
For me, I will remember Jemmoth as a friend one who was very proud of his home and home improvements - this was the last video he sent me, showing off his new sliding gate:
Supt. Henry Jemmott
"This is how you do it like wah boss… electric gate my boy. set up the timing right."
Sadly, he was far from that home when he found his end in another place he called his home:
Supt. Henry Jemmott
posted (December 13, 2016)
"You can come and have fun in San Pedro."
For Jemmott a night of fun turned into death - an unimaginable end for this officer:
Marie Jemmott Tzul, Henry's sister
"They have put a dagger in our hearts, we will pray for her as we are praying for his soul."
