Are Unvaccinated Officers Being Sent Home?

Alejandro Cowo

The last we heard, almost sixty percent of the Belize Police Department has been vaccinated so far.  But does statutory instrument seventy-four of 2021 that speaks to getting vaccinated or presenting test results biweekly apply to police officers, who are also considered frontline workers?  Multiple reports have been made to our tipline about police officers being recorded as absent from work because they have not yet taken the COVID-19 vaccine. Today, a social media post spoke of officers being sent home after being asked for a vaccination card or negative COVID-19 test this morning. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says that the latter is not true. During the police press brief, Superintendent Alejandro Cowo was also asked about it.

Supt. Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Eastern Division

“I do not know if anybody was sent home. If you look and visit the different offices, you would see the amount of police officers and if you go on the street, you would see the amount of police officers. If anybody was sent home, probably the street might be vacant of police, but I have seen a number of police everywhere so I don’t believe anybody was sent home.”