Traffic Blocking: Police Expand Eyes across Belize for New Year’s

Edward Broaster

The lengthy Christmas weekend was an exceptionally violent holiday across the country where a number of road traffic fatalities and homicides were recorded.  As a result of all those incidents, the police department convened a meeting of all regional commanders to re-strategize ahead of the New Year’s weekend.  Operations Commander Edward Broaster outlined steps that will be taken by the department, beginning with vehicular checkpoints being set up countrywide.

ACP Edward Broaster, Operations Commander

“Over the Christmas weekend we had a number of fatalities as it relates to traffic incidents.  We held a meeting on Wednesday with commanders from all the regional divisions and effective today there will be checkpoints in all major districts, cities and towns and villages, if possible.  The officers will be out checking for all traffic violations and specifically drunken drivers.  In the next couple weeks we will be presenting STEPS, Strategic Traffic Enforcement for Public Safety, which will be a formal document that we will be tabling to address a lot of the traffic enforcement around the country.  In the next couple of days we will be acquiring ten breathalyzers from attorney Christopher Coye, who will be donating those breathalyzers and we will ensure that the necessary legislations are in place for us to use them and detect those who are drinking and driving.  I want to advise the motorists and drivers that this weekend, yes it’s the New Year’s coming, New Year’s Eve, we know that there will be a lot of partying and drinking and we want to encourage those who will be drinking to ensure that they have a designated driver that will enable them to get home safe to their families and avoid the tragedy that we’ve seen over the Christmas holiday weekend.  As well, the officers on these checkpoints will be doing their routine checks for criminal activity and we will have supervisors on each checkpoint across the country.  If anyone has a problem with any officers on these checkpoints, we advise you to immediately contact the supervisor on duty and inform that officer and we will address the situation.”