Reports of Police Abuse During SOE are Down Says ComPol Williams

Chester Williams

Reports of officers abusing their authority during the state of emergency have gone down significantly since the Professional Standards Branch of the Belize Police Department has been actively investigating a number of cases.  Commissioner Chester Williams has taken a no-nonsense approach in dealing with rogue cops, including recommendations for the termination of three officers who coerced two Belize City residents into performing a sexual act last month inside an abandoned building on Central American Boulevard.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We have seen a drastic reduction in the amount of abuse complaints and I am only hoping that it continues to go down.  I know that the police officers are policing in tough and stressful times and they are human beings.  At times they may get overzealous, they will overreact and when that does occur we have to see how we can strike a balance, but at the same time too, I ask the citizenry to please work with the police because it is the citizenry who provoke some of these incidents to occur.  It is no justification for the police and as I said to the officers that we are professional and we must always ensure that we act reasonably in dealing with any situation and so if it is that we can work together, the police and the community, we will surely rid ourselves of these issues of police abuse and misconduct.”