Police update public on latest anti-crime efforts
Thankfully there are no murders to report tonight, but police did hold a news conference today to update the public on what it is doing curb the violence. Although no arrests have been made in recent homicides, some people will feel relieved to learn that several high powered weapons have been seized.
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie, O.C. Eastern Division
“We have launched a number of operation surgical strikes at a number of targets. This has led to some success. Just this morning we had another operation, which again led to additional success. Over the past week we’ve been able to recover a number of weapons—at least six different weapons—off the street. Just today alone we were able to remove an AR fifteen rifle along with a magazine, twenty-eight rounds of five point five six ammunition and also this afternoon we were able to take off an AK forty-seven with two magazines and twenty-nine live rounds of ammunition. We were also successful in removing a three eighty pistol off the street along with a thirty-eight. We also took off the streets a twenty-two rifle. This is to tell you the level of fire power and the amount of firearms that are out there in the streets. It’s not an easy task. We are concerned in terms of the murders but we must ask the public for their continued support and their continued cooperation.”
“In respect to the Regent Street West shooting, we are aware that—street talk is that there was some hard talk which occurred at an establishment on Church Street. We are trying to verify that and apparently it is from there that those persons were followed by their assailant.”
Supt. Edward Broaster, O.C. Patrol Branch
“We will continue to be tactical on the streets in an endeavour to address the situation as best as possible and we are hoping that the public will continue to give us their support as they have done in the past and what they’ve done for us today. The AR fifteen rifle was discovered on Oleander Street in an abandoned building along with twenty-eight rounds of five point five six ammunition. The AK forty-seven was just recovered this afternoon at an undisclosed location. We don’t have that information to provide you as yet.”
Marion Ali
“Mr. Broaster, any of these weapons that you found, are they believed to have been used in any of the recent shootings or murders?”
Supt. Edward Broaster
“These firearms, no.”
The firearms will be forwarded to the forensics lab for analysis as their serial numbers had been removed. Meanwhile, Whylie said that the Police Training Academy in Belmopan has been closed down for the Easter with the recruits being deployed along with additional patrols on Belize City streets. With respect to the recent murders, police have assigned different detectives to crack those cases. During this afternoon’s conference, the Department’s new Press Officer, Clement Palacio was introduced. He takes over from A.S.P. Bart Jones.
