New checkpoints for Cayo
They may seem like nothing more than little green and yellow wooden boxes along the major highways, but police checkpoints are becoming increasingly important tools in the fight against crime. Today, two more booths were officially dedicated in Cayo, and as you will see, before the ceremonies were even over some drugs were discovered.
Patrick Jones, Reporting
The two booths, one at each of the entrances to the twin towns of San Ignacio-Santa Elena will maintain a permanent police presence in these areas of the Cayo District. Commissioner of Police Carmen Zetina says its part of the forward planning by the department.
Jose Carmen Zetina, Commissioner of Police
“Well you know this actually is one of the activities that we had mention in our five-year strategic plan, that we need to have many booths and substations and check points and we have started this. This is about the sixth checkpoint that we have established, and we have extended from the north, extreme north up to the south and now we are in the west trying to establish a police checkpoint and today we are inaugurating it.”
Officer in charge of the San Ignacio Police, Superintendent Gilroy Nicholas, says the booths will be more than just brightly painted boxes by the side of the road.
Supt. Gilroy Nicholas, O.I.C., San Ignacio Police
“At this time I just cannot man it twenty-four hours, but this booth will definitely help us because people coming in from other districts come here, commit crimes especially on weekends and then they just leave. So with this booth my men will be able to be out here and they will be much more comfortable.”
And this no nonsense cop wasted no time, pressing the booths into service. Even before the area representatives were done with the ribbon cutting and other formalities, officers had confiscated two pounds of marijuana from a Belize City bound Novelo’s bus and ticketed several drivers for various offences.
Carmen Zetina
“We are looking for people coming or passing through the check point under the influence of drinks, or drugs we are looking at proceeds of crime, people that have committed burglaries and trying to take away stolen articles out of the area. And again we’re trying to minimize on traffic accidents by advising motorists to be careful. And these are the things that the checkpoints will be used for.”
Nicholas says infrastructure development like this goes a long way in making the community safer.
Supt. Gilroy Nicholas
“Crime is definitely lower than it was last year. For example in the San Ignacio area here up to date we have just two murders for this year, and robberies are down I would say about sixty-five percent comparing to last year this time.”
Patrick Jones
“So this booth and the equipment you just got will help you to improve on those numbers?”
Supt. Gilroy Nicholas
“It will definitely assist me to improve on the numbers.”
During this afternoon’s ceremonies, Chairman of the San Ignacio crime committee, Andre Lopez, gave a citation to Eduardo Guerra, an area resident who earlier this year came to the rescue of a delivery truck that was being robbed. His citizen arrest of Patrick Gordon eventually ended with his conviction for robbery and Gordon is now serving a five-year prison sentence.
But Guerra’s act of bravery was not the only commendation for the police today. Belize Electric Company Limited, BECOL, extended its corporate hand of assistance to help in the police’s crime fighting initiatives. Operations Manager Steven Usher was on hand to hand over the donation.
Stephen Usher, Superintendent of Operations, BECOL
“BECOL, as you are aware, we have been in the Cayo District. Our company is located in the Cayo district since 1995 and we have been working with the community of San Ignacio-Santa Elena in various ways. We normally go around and check with the different community leaders and see where we can lend assistance, and speaking with Superintendent Nicholas we look at the crime situation and the tourist situation in this area and decided that a motor bike would be more suitable for patrolling and assisting in the crime situation, as well as the tourist situation in this area.”
Supt. Gilroy Nicholas
“I will use the cycle to patrol the rural areas. It will be used by the tourist police, as well as the main force. It will be a one and one situation, one tourist police, one regular police to patrol the tourist resorts in the rural areas that are prone to robberies and other crimes.”
While the motorcycle is valued at six thousand dollars, Usher says the money is immaterial.
Stephen Usher
“I think it’s priceless because it’s the start of a relationship between BECOL and the Police Department. And we are hoping that whatever use, and I am sure it will be good use that the motorcycle will help the Police Department. We will look at and expand for the future.
Patrick Jones, for News 5.
Two more booths, one in Santa Elena and the other on Joseph Andrews Drive, are proposed for the near future.
