ComPol on Crime and Murder Rate

Chester Williams

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says there are challenges to policing with the state of emergency in place. And despite a national curfew in place, the murder numbers remain pretty close to the stats from last year during this same period. Since last Friday, three murders have been recorded. Commissioner Williams told the press on Tuesday that they are monitoring crime closely, but the cops are not to be blamed for crimes being committed during this time.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Yes, we keep a close eye on the crime rate.”

Reporter

“Because then it would be a big fail if after all this state of emergency and this suspension of movement, that we still end up with another record high murder year or close to record?”

Chester Williams

“People have their own perception. Even if it is that we were to end up with under a hundred murders this year there will still be those will want to say what they want to see. There are certain factions of society that no matter what the police do, they will always have something negative to say. I do believe that for the most part the Belizean people appreciate the work that the police is doing. When there is a high murder rate or crime rate, that should not be attributed mainly to the police or only to the police; that should be attributed mainly to the society because dah nuh the police raise them to become criminals; dah the homes they grow up in, the society that raised them. So, why should it be a failure of the police? Look around us. Even during the S.O.E., the murder rate in Jamaica, Trinidad and the other countries is still high. So, we are doing well.”