Police Having Difficulty Getting Statement from Complainant

Regarding the incident in April at the municipal airstrip in Belize City where one of two police officers allegedly assaulted a tour guide while being recorded on a cell phone, Senior Superintendent Flowers said the officer was placed on interdiction and the investigation is ongoing. But, he explained that the department is having problems because the virtual complainant has, for whatever reason, not been cooperative with investigators.

(File, April 8, 2022)

Sr. Supt. Calbert Flowers

Sr. Supt. Calbert Flowers, Head, Professional Standards Branch, B.P.D.

“The person in that video, who would have been the complainant, that person refuses to cooperate with us. He refuses to give us a statement, but we are still dealing with this officer by the use of the video. He will be going before a disciplinary tribunal and we will try to use that video content to present in order to get a conviction. We will try, hopefully we can get a conviction using the video. However, it is very difficult because the person involved is not coming forward. He came forward initially, but he refuses to give us a statement. This is the first time that we will attempt to introduce a video without a complainant’s statement. We used to introduce video but of course, with a virtual complainant – a complainant’s statement, but in this particular matter, it will be more challenging because we do not have a statement.”