Houston cops help Belize police with equipment

And while politicians consider the death penalty, police are trying to do the best they can with limited resources. Today they received some help from their brothers across the Gulf.

Gerald Westby, Police Commissioner
?Policemen across the world have common problems. The problems that we are being faced with in Belize are not necessarily unique to Belize, the violent crimes and the gun related crimes. Certainly we want to be able to have exchange between the two departments. Houston is not two far away, so that makes it a consolation for us and we want to see what we can learn from them.?

The bullet proof vests, bullet proof glass, gun locks, identification cards and hardware are among the security items handed over to the Belize police department by high ranking members of the Houston police department. The donation is the first since the law enforcement agencies recently established a working relationship. Police commissioner Gerald Westby says they are not only looking to strengthen ties with North America but closer to home similar efforts will be made throughout the Caribbean.

Gerald Westby
?That is one of the things we are working on the exchange between the Caribbean countries, so police can come over to one country and another constable or officer go over to that other country and then we can learn. It has been done successfully in the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands recently and Belize certainly want to participate because we need to work together.?

It is hoped the collaboration will help to strengthen crime fighting capabilities in the respective countries.

Gerald Westby
?Firearm related violence is the area that we need to work on and we can always go over there and see what they are doing. Strategies, concepts and operations that we could use over here so we want to have an exchange programme with them and develop a sister relationship with them so that our police can go over there and equally they can come over here and we can cross fertilize and learn from each other.?

Captain John Moritz, Precinct #4, Harris County, Houston
?As you know many people are fugitives in Central America countries, in Mexico, in South America. And we are trying to foster relationship with Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Belize most of the countries, Panama.?

The law enforcement officers say the information they receive from the public is their most important intelligence. That?s why they?re optimistic that the professional police identification cards will foster that working partnership.

Gerald Westby
?Because whenever you go people will be saying: yes, this is indeed a policeman. Then you would have less confrontation with the public, when the public is satisfied, yes this is the new type of I.D. let me see your I.D.; they will be more willing to cooperate with the police.?

It is the first time that Belize police will be wearing the professional high-tech I.D. cards.

Captain John Moritz
?The software is only available to police agencies and it cannot be duplicated by a normal hacker type person so it is very difficult type of I.D. card. Everybody in the United Sates is going to this same type of software package and a printer package.?

A total of two thousand five hundred I.D. and visitors cards were donated. The bullet proof glass has been installed at the Queen Street police station. Meanwhile the gun locks will be used to make gun ownership safer for law enforcement personnel as well as the general public.