Brandon Baptist Gets Help from Police Department
Turning over a new leaf is something that Brandon Baptist and his friends have been wanting to do for some time now and they have been looking for an opportunity to do better for themselves and their family. Together, they came up with an idea to seek the assistance of the police department to acquire a weedwacker and other landscaping equipment. Now those who know the history of Baptist and the department would tell you that they have not always been on good terms with each other. But they are willing to put aside past differences for the good of the Police Street neighborhood. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
When Brandon Baptist approached the Belize Police Department for assistance it wasn’t because he needed help addressing a criminal matter. In fact, he realized that there was a dire need for those around him to do something constructive with their time. Many would say that Baptist’s past as a gang member precedes him and would readily write him off as just another lawbreaker. But in the spirit of giving second chances, a partnership with the department is creating an opportunity that he intends to capitalize on.
Brandon Baptist
Brandon Baptist, Resident, Police Street
“I just midi beg dehn, instead ah police dehn cohn and dehn harass we cause we di heng out and den deh, I just beg dehn and tell dehn assist we with wahn lee machine or wahn lee something mek wih do something then.”
The idea is that Baptist and his friends will assume the responsibility of cleaning up their neighborhood.
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Officer Commanding Eastern Division
“We believe that employment that centers around at-risk youths can decrease these youths likelihood in being in the streets and involvement in gang-related violence or criminal behavior. We also believe that it can also help them to develop that sense of responsibility and it’s a form of financial incentive for them. I see today as a good day, a good example of how the business community can collaborate with us.”
Upon learning of the initiative, Dr. Richard Rosado, who heads Eastern Division, turned to Universal Hardware and pitched the idea of working with these young men to improve their situation.
Brandon Baptist
“Dis right ya soh just mek I feel good, check, because I think dehn di sih weh I di sih now. My vision weh I mih always want. I think dehn di see it now, yoh undastand mi, cause everything weh does happen da Baptist dehn call pan. Now dehn di sih weh di happen, right, that I da noh da type ah people mein, check. I wahn continue dis and I wahn do dis right round and round my area and I noh expect nobody fi trouble me cause I noh into trouble. So I noh mind go round and do my duty, do weh I wahn do.”
This afternoon, a weedwacker was handed over to Baptist. Similar assistance will be offer to at-risk youths across Belize City.
Dr. Richard Rosado
“We believe that if these at-risk youths want to change we will extend our had to them and in fact, we are going to the different communities, the different neighborhoods and meeting the different gangs to see how best we can collaborate in changing their life around.”
Brandon Baptist
“I really, really appreciate and thank Mr. Gamboa and thank Mr. Rosado, yoh undastand me, Mr. Chester [Williams]. Ih try help me out di best way ih could too. Really thanks for that mein. Dis right ya soh just mek I feel good, check.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
