Police Department put their full support behind Convicted Cop, Gino Peck
Gino Peck
Twenty-three year veteran of the Belize Police Department, Corporal Gino Peck, will stand in court on Friday to have sentence imposed upon him. On Monday, he was found guilty of possession of unlicensed ammunition and possession of prohibited ammunition. The court ruling stunned Peck and his attorney asked for time to make mitigation pleas, before sentencing is handed down. Peck, by all accounts an exemplary officer, was charged after his home was searched on January twenty-first, 2012 by the Gang Suppression Unit, and a weapon and numerous rounds of ammunition were found. The story made serious waves back then, and created tension in the Belize Police Department. And it is doing so again in a bigger way, after Peck was convicted and is likely looking at a jail sentence. Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie had not taken up that post yet when Peck was arrested, but today he weighed in on the matter. According to Whylie, the matter could have been handled very differently…and he and the Belize Police Department are fully behind their falling brother.
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Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
“Myself, as the Commissioner, is deeply sadden at the turn of events and I am certain that the members of the Belize Police Department are also sadden and disappointed at the results. I want to say that the department will be fully supporting Corporal Peck and we will be funding the entire fees for him for his legal appeal of his conviction. We are certain or I believe that the matter could be handled differently. It was a matter that was before my tenure; when I took up post, but as I said, we are deeply saddened, but we will be assisting him in his appeal and we hope that the results will be different.”
Reporter
Allen Whylie
“We’ve been informed that it has created some sort of low morale amongst the rank and file of the officers and it has sparks of a go slow. Are you aware of this? And if it is so, how do you plan to address it with your officers?”
Allen Whylie
“Well you know the police organization is a discipline organization and of course we feel for Corporal Peck. He is our brother, he is in good standing, I thought that he was a very excellent and dedicated officer. Of course it is a department of over a thousand people, everybody have their own feeling and opinions. We are a discipline organization as I said. We respect the law, we enforce the law and everything has to take its course. He has been convicted, he has the right to appeal and we will be supporting him in his appeal. Indeed I’ve gathered that there is a text going around, I don’t know where it originated from, it could have been form members of the department or from anyone. But as a discipline organization, we are not allowed to strike, we are not allowed to go slow. But of course people have their rights and other ways of organizing. So I will be speaking to the different district commanders and to ensure that they speak to their personnel and let them be aware of their legal rights of what they can and cannot do. And of course let them know that the administration is supporting Corporal Peck but as a law institution we have got to have respect for the law.”
Support for Gino Peck can be found among the rank and file of the police department. In a most unusual release which points to a rift in the force. The release says the police department is saddened by the manner in which the decision to proceed with criminal charges against Peck was made since it could have been properly dealt with through its own internal disciplinary process. But who made that decision? What is known is that the GSU carried out the bust and the matter ended up in court. The department also says it was not given the opportunity and that a long serving member of the department is facing a jail sentence for a matter that could have been handled internally. To show its support, the department with the assistance of the Ministry of National Security, will pay for all legal fees to appeal Peck’s conviction.
I don’t know what the law says on this one. But if there is room for a suspended sentence, this man certainly seems to qualify. Christ, we have criminals in the cabinet and the city council. The law doesn’t seem to work for good people.
I think he should still be convicted. I also hope the police department isn’t planning in paying his legal fees with the public’s money. Why would an upstanding police officer have unlicensed ammunition and weapons in his home?
The pm and ministers are stealing everyday with no consequences. And then you have a police officer who is in court. For ammunition this country is certainly Ina dirt box
@John Doe Because he moonlights as a hit man, that’s why. He fit the profile: soft-spoken and ostensibly caring, and according to his wife, always gone for days on end.
I think it’s distasteful, nothing more. If this was a civilian case, the entire family would get convicted too. I say that because, well, that’s what has happened in the past.
Funny how everyone jumping on Mr. Pecks side… Yes he is a good father but the man is freaking corrupt. Commissioner saying the police dept. is a discipline organization…. jajajajaja!!! for sure sure…. i know its a well organized gang/mafia.
So Mr. Peck was preparing for the zombie apocalypse, with all them ammunition. When they find them youths with a lee ganja or a single bullet on them its str8 jail. YES he a great father but the man is corrupt. Wrong is Wrong. If these pigs are to find one single bullet on me i will be charged n sentenced. Freaking Corrupted Police Dept… This fool will walk free!!!! i know it…
Just like I said years ago, these restrictive gun laws make no sense. The officer obviously uses this ammunition through the course of his employment to serve the people of Belize and this is what we are putting him and his family through? Makes no sense to use the amount of resources they are using to drag this guys name through the mud, but allow Verde to walk free.
What on earth did he do to piss off Marco Vidal and the DPP ( His vife) is the real question that needs to be asked here. And why is the GSU conducting operations against no gang personnel? The whole story is obviously not being told.
i also want to echo want John Doe said….why should a police officer be held to a different standard than the general public. He as an officer knew the dangers of having unlicensed ammunitions and weapons in his home? And now he must have had a beef with another officer who knew about those weapons and bam…the GSU raids his home. He knew the risks face the consequences. And the Ministry of National Security should not even consider spending tax payers money in this matter. Period!!! You reap what u sow!!!
Corporal Geno Peck may have good reason to be a corrupt cop. With five teenage kids and a wife a corporal salary cannot mention and educate that family. Imagine a man serving for over 20 years and only got one stripe; this is telling me he is not that brilliant yet he spent most of his time in Special Branch. Sometime last year a policeman who had committed a crime and was over forty years had never been promoted. In my view the police department`s system is not recruiting the most competent and qualified people to serve and protect the Belizean people.
Read it says the Officers from time to time are allowed to take ammunition home, as his wife said he used to go to the bush for months for training he might have come late and just kept it there,. Everyone agrees that he is a good officer why would we want to put in jail a good cop while there are many bad cops on the street example the ones that took the guy to the atm and took his money those ones should be put up.
He deserves a chance 22 years or good service, HE DESERVES IT!!!!
john doe he is a police officer…. and you know what i hope and pray that they move Vidal from his Post!!!! He is Stupid and Fool….. also one day that DPP will get what she is looking for …. 6 feet under ground. She and her Husband!!!! Because what you do you will pay for it!!!!
As the Commissioner says, the Police cannot go on a “go slow”, but they can operate on a work to rule, maybe that was what happened on Tuesday along Central American Boulevard when they had a traffic check just outside BWS – took over an hour to get from Vernon Street to the bridge – traffic was backed up both ways
I am not too knowledgeable about this case and this officer, however it appears somewhat ridiculous that a so-called good cop would be charged for these ridiculous charges brought by the behest of the head of the GSU. There are so many criminals running around scotch free to do whatever they want to do and get away with it, including govt. ministers and some govt. employees/relatives and friends of GOB ministers. While police officers must abide by the law, this certainly does not appear right. Something is wrong with this picture. Especially, when the head of the GSU’s wife is the chief persecutor of the DPP. Apparently, someone was out to get Corporal Pech’s head. Law enforcement is at an all time low in the Jewel? This definitely sounds like a personal vendetta. Where in the world except “Belize” will an apparently honorable officer of the law gets imprisonment for something this ridiculous. Internal division of investigation are the people responsible for this kind of behavior, not the criminal justice system/DPP.
This law should not include police officers and any person who is allowed to leagally carry weapons as part of their job. A police like this guy who has served for many years in my opinion should be allowed to have weapons and the necessary bullets. Those bullets and weapons should be the tools of his trade and he should be released. These guys put their lives on the line every time they respond to a call and they should be allowed to carry arms at all time just in case someone they procecuted seeks revenge when they are off duty.
Set the man free and procecute the criminals!
I can’t understand what happened. Why did the GSU raid his house? He being in law enforcement could have gotten his gun licence. There is something here that I do not understand.
The Problem is that the GSU does not answer to the commissioner of police and they do not take orders from the commissioner of police. Thats where the problem lies
our country is one of those where the cork sink and the iron float.seems like they want to get ride of Mr.Peck a.s.a.p and there are another issues that will take long and probably with any luck will reach to court.i.e…penner SCANDALL,booty castro SCANDALL and the list is going and going and going………
@ John Doe, I don’t know you, but your comment sound ignorant; this is b/c you come across as if though you have an axe to grind. If you knew GINO PECK, you would know him as a compassionate and gentle individual. GINO PECK has dedicated his life protecting and serving our beloved country. So for the people who know him, this is truely a sad day.
it certainly looks like they are paying with the peoples money. this is complete bullshit. total total bullshit. the same police go and bust other people with firearms who can;t even pay their bail and they turn around and want to change the law for their officer. i am so sick of this. “disciplined”?? what does he think he is talking about. i am sure we have all been witnesses to the blatent disregard of justice, respect or decency by so many police. maybe this guy wasn’t bad fine, but then maybe they need to reconsider the law so others can have that benefit of the doubt too…