Police Department Works Overtime on New Year’s Weekend

Chester Williams

The Belize Police Department is working overtime this New Year’s weekend to ensure that the festive season continues without much incident.  In the Old Capital, officers will be deployed on foot and mobile patrols.  For the New Year’s countdown, a detail of officers has been assigned to Digi Park and elsewhere in the country, the men and women of law enforcement will be working around the clock to safeguard the wellbeing of partygoers.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Our officers will be patrolling the different hotspots, the different business areas, all with a view to ensure that we maintain law and order.  We have our extra patrol out as well, assisting the regular working police officers.  We know that there are going to be a number of activities bringing in the New Year, and so, again, our presence at those activities is going to be important to ensure that law and order is maintained.  While there are going to be those who will be excited about being given the opportunity to live to see another year, there are also going to be those who will be too excited and may want to use the opportunity of the midnight fireworks to discharge weapons, as well as to target those persons with whom they may have issues during this year.  And so, it is important for us to ensure that we maintain strong presence.  We know we have the biggest event of the night and that is going to be at the Digi Park.  We have a complement of officers that are going to be working that event along with other events across the country.  We know that liquor establishments will be open until two a.m. and there is going to be a number of parties at different bars and restaurants and so forth.  So again, making sure that our presence is there strong to allow people to feel free and confident to celebrate the New Year.”