And there will also be vetting to get through the list of thousands of Belizeans who have signed up to be part of the next recruit intake for the Police Department. Today the Commissioner reiterated that only a little over 200 will be accepted to become new constables.
He said that he hopes that all the new hopefuls actually want to serve the general public, and aren't just in it for the salary:
Chester Williams- Commissioner of Police
"I am happy to see that a number of young persons are interested in being a member of the Belize Police Department. And you know what I found ironic is that some of the same persons who are applying, a very large number of them are those who criticize the police on social media daily. So you find that our enemies now want to join us and that is welcoming. I just want to say to them that I hope that their interest in wanting to be a member of the department is not just for the salary but that they want to really and truly be a part of the department in terms of trying to see how they can help and develop the culture of this department. And I know that it is going to be difficult for us in terms of selecting that small number that we wish to recruit which is going to be 225. The fact that we have so many people gives us a broader pool to select from. And we are going to ensure that we select the best of the best. And let me say that I am extremely grateful that during the whole application process the Minister has been saying to us: please commissioner we do not want these applicants to have to be getting a recommendation letter from no politician because we don't want to recruit people based on political affiliation. We want to recruit people based on their academic qualification and their impeccable background and their willingness to serve this country in the most professional way that we as a people would want them to."
