COLA Weighs in on Officer-involved Slaying of Allyson Major Jr.

Shawn Saldano

The state of affairs regarding crime and violence in the country, particularly in Belize City, continues to erode.  The police department has fallen into distrust from the very public its officers have sworn to protect and serve.  While family and friends of Allyson Major Junior are still reeling from his death at the hands of four policemen who were in his pursuit on Tuesday evening, a special investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting is underway. Major Junior was pursued and shot even as his vehicle was moving; he was struck in the head by a single shot that caused his demise.  But is it enough to relieve the suspicion that has been building up against the department where excessive use of force is concerned?

Shawn Saldano, President, COLA

“I want to look at it from a general standpoint.  In fact, Mr. Major and I have been very close colleagues.  I look up to him and I sympathize with his family, his complete immediate circle and with all other Belizeans who have suffered as a result of gun violence and crime in our country.  But what we are seeing right now is nothing new, this has continued to be a tactic and then when you get too outrageous then the government will tell you or the commissioner of the police department will tell you we’re going to put together a formal investigation team and so forth.  I was looking at the composition of the investigative team that was put together: Ms. Winnie Parchue, the Senior Superintendent and the other persons, the independent persons and I really and truly want to ensure that we do this thing the proper way.  We always come up with these investigations and when the heat dies down nothing comes out of it.  But I want to emphasize that we cannot continue to tolerate the band-aid remedy for crime and violence because weh we di sih right now, it has been happening, police force.”