Operation Jaguar ridding the streets of criminals
Operation Jaguar was launched this past Monday morning in the City’s hot spots that have fallen under the control of gangs. Combined elements of the police and BDF are doing foot and mobile patrols targeting specific persons known to be involved in drugs, firearms and violence. But how can the police be effective when it has lost public confidence? News Five’s Delahnie Bain has this report.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
Since four a.m. on Monday morning police, B.D.F. and Coast Guard officers have been on the prowl in murder capital, Belize City, as Operation Jaguar got underway. The security forces are pooling their resources to try and lasso the criminals and get the violence under control.
ACP Elodio Aragon Jr., In Charge of Management Services, Belize Police Dept.
“The entire purpose of this Operation Jaguar again is to bring to bear on the criminals and to send the strong message that the police Department and the other security agencies will not tolerate or continue to tolerate the criminals to hold this Belize City hostage.”
It’s a big task, even for three security agencies. So just how do they plan to get the job done?
ACP Elodio Aragon Jr.
elodio aragon jr
“This operation entails about a hundred personnel from the Belize Defence Force along with a number of our Police Officers and that from Coastguard working together strategically in our crime ridden areas in our Southside specifically, in specific areas of the Southside where we strategically deploy persons. We’re having numerous amount of foot patrols where it’s a combined B.D.F. and police patrols. We also have vehicle patrols and what we call roaming vehicle checkpoints where these people would set up checkpoints in certain areas and then they move on to another area. So that is what we are presently doing. To complement these patrols, we have intelligence based searches that are being done at specific targets. These searches are being conducted directly on people who are well known to the police for being involved in drugs, firearms and who are intent on committing crimes.”
Only a day and a half in, the operation has not yet made a huge impact; but Assistant Commissioner of Police, Elodio Aragon Junior, says only time will tell whether or not they will succeed in their mission.
ACP Elodio Aragon Jr.
“Specifically, I can tell you what we have seen is that within south side, there has been a reduced number of incidents reported to the police. Now we are hoping that this will continue to be the case and I guess that only with some time can we tell by looking at our statistics; the incidence of crime, the kind of crime that is occurring that will dictate who successful this operation is.”
Operation Jaguar was born in a meeting of the National Security Council and is expected to restore a sense of safety to the citizen. But an obvious concern is that the police has lost public confidence and have been implicated in a number of crimes recently.
Delahnie Bain
“I know this is an attempt at restoring confidence in the Police Department; but in the areas where you’re carrying out this operation, can you assure the residents there that will not be any kind of abuse of power and things like that?”
ACP Elodio Aragon Jr.
“Good question. Our police department, we have had several briefings prior to this, before we launched this operation on Monday. There was a lot of organizing and getting things together and one of the biggest things we have asked our police officers and our security personnel on the ground is that we need to deal with how we go about doing this operation very professional. We must be courteous, we must be fair, but we must be firm likewise.”
Aragon emphasized that while this is a job for the security forces, the cooperation of the public will play a major role in the operation’s success. Delahnie Bain for News Five.
To ensure that the operation does not become predictable, Aragon says their procedures will change from time to time.
This opt needs to work. Persistence is the key of targeting criminals
Belize is a small country with big problems but thank God, its only in the city. I am sure this lazy thugs may have lived in the US so they take their habits back home. Or just plain lazy and drugs overcome their lives. Too bad the citizens suffer but many times they shelter the criminals. The public do need to work with the police to report criminals,. Anyone could do report them anonymously. Why do you think crimes are low in rural areas. Because they know the trouble makers and many times they take matters into their own hands by confronting them. I understand the city is a little different but if the public work with the police, crime can go down
I’m glad the BDF are involved since they really don’t do anything in their barracks. But its not really nice to see soldiers and police working to rid crime. Its becoming like any urban city. Its just not a pretty picture for Belize.
At least SOMETHING is being done about crime in Belize. It’s a good start…..
Good story…but I have a concern with the use of the term “Murder capital Belize City”. I have been watching the news cast most evening and I cringe whenever I hear that phrase. Now I am not naive to the fact that Belize City has become very dangerous with all the murder that has been happening here very frequently. But I feel that the use of the term “Murder Capital” overstates this grave issue and ignores the other benefits and good aspects in the City to any other first time reader or viewer. Belize City also happens to be the Business center of our nation! I do hope that they are supporting activists in making concrete changes to this problem.
One of the things needed to be done , is whatever the police is planning in regards to organizing the crime leave the media out of it and the reason i say that is , When the public or criminal knows the strategy of the police and arm forces they know how to work there way around it and also there is a lot of policemen that is link with drug lords so they can always call ahead and inform them of when a raid is going down so the honest police man don’t come up with any bust at all. It is a dog eat dog world . But i hope for god sake something works out in regards to all the s.. happening in Belize city.
It is probabely time for Belize to begin selective assassination. Think of how many lives would have been save if young Adilph Hitler had been elemated while he was plotting as a young corporal or a large stone was tied to Edi Amin`s ….. and drop into Lale Victoria.
Yeah ! It is great to know that police officers plot their plans well so this work. They have lot hard work to do because their are criminals who don’t respect the law…. they just want to kill who ever is on their way. Sometimes innocent victim. If they construct confidence on people , people will work with them and they would bust the drugs and crime will go down. So guys am applaud by the action taken. it is about time…. Be fair , be optimistic , be informed and cautious of areas paroled but be alert . Bring back safety to the Belizean People…
So far so good, please be careful and be persistent. Flush out all the Jack-asses dem, they have no moral. I just pray to God that the Judicial System do their part in sentencing these idiots when necessary as required by the Laws of our country and not fail us, otherwise, these brave men’s hard work will be in vein. I think we are in the right direction, atleast it’s a start in the right direction.
Lets hope we don’t hear any wining from family members who enable their relatives, we can’t have it both ways….
The BDF doesnt play any role if they are supporting the police. There are no legislation for the BDF to operate in the civil environment. Dah!!! The soldier is only a moral suport for the police while he does his job. This move will only discredit the bdf. And whats up with the Coast Guard on the streets also?
Way to go…i think this is a very good idea and these guys who are working together need to be encouraged. It’s a great effort and hopefully it’s effective. I particularly like the statement “We must be courteous, we must be fair, but we must be firm likewise”. This indicates professionalism and hopefully they live up to that statement, so that the citizens of Belize can have confidence in the Police again. Hope this works.
to me it’s a good idea and plan hoping this will work for the benefit of the city people and for us who go there for business. hoping that this plan can eradicate at least the majority of criminals on the city streets. but keep the information tight since there is a leakiing informer in the police dep. always.God lead you guys and do a honorable work for our safety and your families too.
Congrats PM!!! Good start I pray that it works out well for the benefit of all Belizeans,not only the victims but the criminals too, now they should have time to think about their lives and make a positive change. If these criminal continue with their killing then it just means they have no respect not even for themselves, and then only then the HANGING should start,
GOB we recognize your are trying, and conscious of the fact that you cannot do it alone.
Gud to hear such thing but its the cop that are criminal too. what are they doing about it? Somethig must be done before the public purge them out.