Police protect their own - it's an old mantra of the department. And though in the age of media vigilance, it's hard for the department to cover-up for its own the way it used to, the police senior command today tried to demonstrate that it still looks out for officers who've gone down. Today checks from the Police Trust Fund were distributed and 7NEWS was there. Jacqueline Godwin reports.
Jacqueline Woods Reporting,
These police officers and civilians all share one thing in common. Between February and May of this year their children, wife and husband tragically lost their lives when they were killed or accidentally died. For these families the past four months have been difficult. Today however they received some comfort when each were presented with checks to help them meet their needs in their time of mourning. The money comes from a 2000 Bereavement Fund that was established to assist police officers and families of fallen officers.
Rosa Moralez, Mother of Police Officer killed in the line of duty
"I feel like someone has taken a part of my life. I get through the day by praying to God."
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One of the seven recipients is Rosa Morales of San Jose, San Pablo in the Orange Walk District. On March Third her son, thirty year old Police Constable #700 Ever Morales was on duty when he was stabbed to death by a mental patient. Today
Rosa says she is grateful for the one thousand dollars but there is nothing that can replace her great loss.
Rosa Morales,
"The money is not enough to bring back my son back to life and when Ever was alive he told me that when he died he would leave money for me but I told him all the time that I did not want anything to happen to him."
Mary Castillo, the mother of Police Constable #252 Lennox Rubio who committed suicide at the Raccoon Police Station was not present but she too received a check in the amount of one thousand dollars. P.C. #28 Ryan Timmons of The Tourism Police Unit was assisted with $500. His common law wife Kiva Leslie was kidnapped and then executed on March twenty fourth.
Corporal #609 Jose Sierra of Special Branch and Sergeant #241 Theodulfo Chun of Belmopan each received two hundred dollars after both lost young sons in separate accidents on March fourth and May nineteenth. On that same day P.C #248 Rudolph Lopez died following a traffic accident on the Northern Highway. His wife, Woman Corporal Lillian Lopez received bereavement assistance of $1,000.
Although there have been many other losses that have affected the police and their families it was the first time in seven years that the bereavement fund was accessed.
Maureen Leslie, Acting COMPOL
"Efforts had to be made to get to these people who made the pledges
for them to put in the actual donations in the account so it took us a while to get that done. Of course we are hoping that business houses will continue to contribute to the fund. Personally, I have been with it from the very beginning and I am retiring next year as you know so getting these first checks out you know is a real massive step for the department."
Acting Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner Maureen Leslie says there is at least six hundred thousand dollars in the fund. For 7NEWS, Jacqueline Godwin.
The seventh recipient who was not present is Sgt. Kenneth Magdaleno, father of nine year old Kenneth Jr. who passed away on March seventeenth. The bereavement fund is made up of financial contributions made by the public and the police staff who annually donate portions of their salaries to the cause.
