Mexican & Belizean Law Enforcement Commanders Discuss Border Security

Elton Bennett

High-ranking law enforcement officers from Belize and Mexico are wrapping up three days of meetings on border security matters. Border commanders from both countries are focusing particularly on crimes carried out by criminal networks along the northern border. This meeting comes just a week after the Commission of Chiefs of Police and Police Directors of Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Colombia met to discuss similar issues on a more regional scale. News Five spoke with Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, who is the Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard, on what is expected to come out of the meeting.

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard

“Border security matters as it relates to a recent involvement of criminal networks along our northern border, so we’re trying our best to try to get together to see how we can improve the information-sharing intelligence and try to improve our operations that we be more targeted in terms of fusing intelligence into what we do, so that we can ensure that we have a more secure border up in the north along the Rio Hondo and along the coastal areas.”

Marion Ali

How soon are we looking at in terms of putting more manpower on the ground?

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett

“That meeting is happening now. We’re not finished as yet. The outcome of that meeting will determine the scope of operation that will be required in order to address that situation.”