Marie Henry Daycare Center Inaugurated at Raccoon Street HQ

Retired police officer Marie Henry was among the first women to join the Belize Police Force back in the early sixties.  Today, her outstanding career as a woman in law enforcement is enshrined in a namesake daycare center that was inaugurated at the Raccoon Street Police Headquarters.  The opening ceremony coincides with the celebration of Police Week 2019.  According to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, twenty-five spaces are currently available for officers to fill, however, there is little interest being generated within the department.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I decided to have this center because of the fact that I know that many of our police officers are parents, especially the female officers who for the most part have to care for their children, have to be leaving their children sometimes with people who are unknown to them at daycare centers and the children are not cared for the way how they would want them to be cared for and more so the price that they would normally pay is too heavy.  And so we decided that if it is that we can have our own in-house daycare center to provide daycare for our officers then that will be able to one, allow those mothers who are still breastfeeding to be able to breastfeed their child whilst at work and two, it also provides a cheaper service.  So the price that you will be paying at a daycare center out there, we will be charging you less at the center.  This is not a center to make profit, we only want to ensure that we make sufficient money to pay the workers.  We don’t want any profit.  So that is all that we need to cover, the pay of the workers and I am sure that it will be done.  I know that we have done circulations within the rank and file of the department to see if we can identify those officers who will be requiring the service and so far the turnout or request that we are getting is not sufficient.  We are aiming for twenty-five children per shift.  If it is that the police officers do not want to use the service that is being offered, and please listen carefully because I don’t want to be misquoted, the police officers have the first option.  If it is that the police officers do not want to use the service then we will extend the service to other government workers.”