Police Dept. revamps People’s Coalition Committee

And because of escalating crime and violence, the fight against it is everyone’s business and there is one group that has been active but intends to do more. They previously existed under a different name and their mandate was to advise the Belize Police Department on ways to improve their fight against the scourge. Now the revamped People’s Coalition Committee, made up of a wide cross section of citizens, is inviting you to become one of its members. It is a group that Senior Superintendent of Police, Robert Mariano says Belize City desperately needs and which could use everyone’s help.

Sr. Supt. Robert Mariano, Deputy O.C., C.I.B.
“We had it before, except we had called it Citizens Liaison Committee. And that group had broke up and since myself and Mr. Henderson had taken over ht eastern police division, we see it necessary to form this People’s Coalition because it is important to have this group in Belize city because we need the citizenry to advise us accordingly especially in the area of community policing. In punta Gorda, Orange Walk and Corozal they have formed a People’s Coalition already and Belize is the only district that is behind and since we had established this group on Monday of this week we, as I’ve mentioned, are asking other members of the community to come and be a part of this group.”

Marion Ali
“What will be the role of these members?”

Sr. Supt. Robert Mariano
“Again, their role is to advise us—the officer commanding and myself in relation to community policing; how we can develop to get members of the community involved in police work which could help us in the decrease of crime in the Belize District. The People’s Coalition is the highest citizen group that the Police Department would have because what they will do, monthly we will have a meeting and in this meeting we will discus the crime situation and they will look at the crime situation and they will examine the area where they see the police is doing good or where we are failing and advise us accordingly and to form or assist in forming different groups which we need in the community, again like I mentioned, to decrease crime.”

If you would like to join the Police Department’s People’s Coalition Committee you may contact Senior Superintendents Robert Mariano or David Henderson, or Officer Daniel Arguelles who is the Chairman of the Committee.