Introducing a New Regional Commander for Eastern Division
The gang land execution of Deandre Adolphus happened several hours before the new Regional Commander for Eastern Division was set to meet with residents of various Belize City hotspots, including Mayflower Street, Lake Independence, Police Street and La Croix Boulevard. This afternoon, Senior Superintendent Hilberto Romero, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dr. Richard Rosado and William Dawson, of the Leadership Intervention Unit, visited the Ghost Town, PIV and Backa Lands neighborhoods in a brief familiarization session. Romero was recently elevated to the post of Regional Commander for Eastern Division. These gang-ridden areas are not foreign to him, but he set out today in the name of community outreach.
Hilberto Romero
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero, Regional Commander, Eastern Division
“We are here today on a familiarization visit, we want to meet with the community and show our commitment that we are willing to work along with them. So we are going through the various neighborhoods and we are meeting the people and listen to their concerns and see how best we can continue working together. The main objective is to minimize the violence, the shootings, the murders. And so, we want to communicate with them and tell them that we can work together and have less violent incidents in their neighborhoods. That is the main objective of our visit here today.”
Isani Cayetano
“What are you hearing from the residents, both young and old, as to what is taking place presently in the Mayflower [Street] area?”
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
“They are saying that they are, there is peace at this time, not much going on and they want to maintain it that way and so they want to give their commitment to us that they will continue to hold the peace. And so, we are willing to work with them once that is the case.”
Isani Cayetano
“This is a different role for you as a career officer. A majority of the times you were out in these areas was a CIB detective. Now you’re hear as the helm of Eastern Division. What does this mean to you in that capacity, as the overall commander for Eastern [Division] and being able to come back into these neighborhoods?”
Sr. Supt. Hilberto Romero
“Well, it is an opportunity to work with the community. Again, prevention is better any day than we’re investigating crime. So whatever programs, initiatives, interventions we can have with these communities, it is better for us. It will be less work, less violence and I champion that cause. If we can prevent a murder then that is the way we will go, so that decreases the amount of murders in Belize City.”
