Cayo COPP in Full Effect

Across the country, Community Policing has taken root, and it has become the rule rather than the exception. Just around Christmas time the San Ignacio Police Formation received twenty-four new officers, and a new program called the Community Oriented Policing Program. The officers were dispatched to twelve zones, six in San Ignacio and six in Santa Elena. This morning News Five spoke to officers as they prepared to interact with members of the community in a purely positive way.

Cpl. Ciriaco Medina, San Ignacio Police Formation

“The job of these Police Officers is to go in the community to do outreach, listen to the issues/concerns of the community and to bring it to the office. Here at the office, we look at the information that they gather and from here, we send it to the relevant authorities. For example if we should have bushy lots, we refer it to the town council where they will find the owner and request for the owner to maintain the lots. There’s also concerns of lighting conditions and if you notice, the polls have the lights, but the lights are not working. So we get the number of the posts and we send it to B.E.L. and they will fix or repair the lights. Presently today and what we have been doing from since they started, they go out there, conduct home visits, school visits and business visits and also they identify people who are in need in the community. As a part of it, today we have officers that will go to these persons and meet with them and give them a little stipend of groceries that could assist them in their daily lives. We also have Martha’s Kitchen that has offered her business to donate two warm foods and that is also what we will be taking to elderly persons who we see the need for them to eat healthy food.”

Ciriaco Medina

Mike Rudon

“This is a new style of policing. This is something that I’ve never seen before in the different communities. What’s the response you all have been getting from the community?”

Cpl. Ciriaco Medina

“They are happy with it; they are looking forward to it. They feel safer. We have good response from the community and they are looking forward to working with the police. In the San Ignacio and Santa Elena communities, they welcome the officers to their house because they are there to assist them and to feel free to share any issues, concerns that affect them and we will try to do our best. And if we cannot, we will definitely find help for them.”