Law-Abiding Citizens Should Not Be Affected by New VCP Measures

Chester Williams

ComPol Chester Williams says that law-abiding citizens do not have to concern themselves with the procedure because the department knows who the transient criminals are.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“The checkpoints are not being done or will not be done in such a way that it will impede the free movements of our law-abiding populace. And we are cognizant of the fact that there are a number of persons who commutes to work every day and likewise we don’t want to impede their movements so that they will arrive at work late in the morning time and as well as those who come off in the evening and want to get home. We are very mindful of those circumstances and so the checkpoints will be done in a way that it does not affect those movements. Likewise I saw people saying that the police will be stopping and searching every vehicle that comes to the checkpoint; that could never be so. That is practically next to impossible for the police to do. We ask that you bear patience with us. May I also say that it is our instructions to our officers that they are not to allow traffic to back up. Even when it comes to requesting driver’s license, yo can’t ask every vehicle that comes for driver’s license; yo try to do it randomly. And so we will try to see how best we can enforce it that there is not this huge inconvenience for the movement of our citizenry.”

ComPol Williams says that the intent is to also see permanent vehicular checkpoints installed at certain locations along the highways; near the Haulover Bridge on the Philip Goldson Highway, at mile four on the George Price Highway as well as in Belmopan and Dangriga.