ComPol Says Gang Intervention Team Doing Well

After the Chairman of the Leadership Intervention Unit, William Dawson passed away in January, Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, along with the Belize Police Department and the Ministry of Home Affairs scrambled to see how they could configure a team that would also be effective in keeping gang activity and violence at a minimum. Since that time, Williams, along with Nuri Muhammad, Perry “Sticks” Smith, Raymond “Footie” Gongora and Geovanni Brackett have been the faces behind the gang interventions. And as Commissioner Williams revealed today, the low number of murders in Belize City over the past months are attributed largely to their efforts, and he’s pleased with the results of the team.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We’re seeing that Sticks (Perry Smith) and (Raymond) Footie Gongora are developing very quickly. And hopefully soon, I’ll be able to leave that for them to do along with Brother Nuri (Muhammad). Giovanni Brackett also joins the team at times in doing these interventions. So, there are people who are being trained to do it, but in the time being, until we get those persons to a level where we want them to be, I have to participate. At the end of the day, the interest is to save lives.”