Police Association Elects a New President

At news time, the votes are still being counted to determine who will be the new president of the Police Association. As many as fourteen officers put their names on the ballot, including outgoing president Corporal Elton Arzu, whose presidency has been controversial.  Here is a report with Isani Cayetano.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Members of the Belize Police Department, one thousand, six hundred and seventy-three eligible officers, cast their ballots today in an election to choose a new president for the Belize Police Association.  Fourteen candidates, including outgoing president Corporal Eldon Arzu and well-known Woman Sergeant Jane Usher, granddaughter of credit union pioneer Jane Usher, contested various offices within the association.  Arzu’s recent presidency which expired just before the elections was mired in legal drama, as a lawsuit is presently before the Supreme Court in respect of actions taken by Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.  The saga of Corporal Arzu’s tenure reached a head in April 2014 when his salary was frozen after failing to show up for work in Belmopan where he had been transferred last year.  Since then, two have been locking horns in the high court.  Today’s election process was held at precincts across the country.  At the Raccoon Street Headquarters earlier today, the media was allowed to observe the process as each voter was informed that only seven names on the ballot can be selected.  As with any other voting activity, there is an official observer in place to supervise the process and each officer dips his or her finger in the indelible ink before placing the ballot inside the box.  The Belize Police Department presently consists of two thousand, three hundred and forty-five men and women who are represented by the association.  News Five has received word informally that at last count Jane Usher was in the lead during the counting exercise.