GSU Can Go, But a Specialized Police Taskforce is Still Necessary

Chester Williams

Weighing in on the pending changes, ComPol Williams agrees that while yes, the GSU needs to be done away with, there is still a need for a specialized unit to tackle gang activity and organized crime.  Notwithstanding these changes, the Commissioner of Police also acknowledged that police brutality is endemic within the department.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“In terms of the Gang Suppression Unit, I have expressed to the minister and to cabinet yesterday that as the commissioner, the name GSU has indeed left a bitter taste in the mouths of many Belizeans and it is time that we look at the unit and do a re-branding.  Now do we need such a unit?  The answer is yes, we do need it but we must look at how we can refocus or redirect what GSU does.  And after we do the re-branding we will insert a commander who will be able to fashion that new direction that we want the GSU to go.  I believe that once we do that then we should be on good footing in terms of the public seeing that there is the move on the part of the police government to be able to ensure that every citizen is treated with respect by the police.  Now that does not mean that it will stop police brutality.  Police brutality will continue until you and I are gone, but the important thing is that whenever it manifests itself we must be able to take appropriate action so that the public can see that we are not covering whatever wrongdoing our officers are doing out on the streets.”