Police promote musical youth in Hattieville

As that report demonstrates, members of the Police Department have the same weaknesses as the rest of the community … and they also have the same strengths … as I found out this afternoon in Hattieville.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Following a month of music lessons, the children of Hattieville Village have come together to form their first marching band. The children, ages four to fourteen years, have learned how to play the musical instruments while enrolled in a summer programme hosted by the community’s police officers. The police men and women have reached out to the area youths to help them stay out of trouble while on their break from school.

Sgt. Ernel Dominquez, Officer in Charge, Hattieville Police Station
“As a law enforcement officer I saw the need to have some of the young people engaged in positive activities. For that purpose we have launched this programme.”

“One of things with the youths around here they have mostly been led by peer pressure into committing themselves in going into people’s property and things of that sort.”

The newly formed Hattieville Marching Band has forty members, but that number is expected to increase as the boys and girls get ready to participate in the September celebrations. The children are under the leadership of seventeen year old Ashanti Diego.

Ashanti Diego, Band Leader
“If we do our best, and I know we will do our best, we will be out there.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“How have the children been doing?”

Ashanti Diego
“Great. So far they have been doing good.”

The band members have also been exposed to other areas of learning.

Sgt Ernel Dominguez
“Rehabilitation, because young people getting into trouble, going to prison, we need to let them know what’s the seriousness of it when it comes to committing crime.”

And nobody knows that better than thirty-three year old Crispin Jeffries Junior, who is presently serving time in the Belize Central Prison. As part of the Kolbe Foundation community service programme, they have allowed Jeffries to be the programme’s band instructor. According to the officer in charge of the Hattieville Police Station, Sergeant Ernel Dominguez, Jefferies who is a former police officer, has a wealth of experience in music and they believe it was one way that he could give back to society while incarcerated.

Sgt Ernel Dominguez
“We at least try to make it at least two days per week that Mr. Crispin Jeffries Jr. could come out and assist us. Maybe a day, maybe three hours the most and he goes back into the facilities after he is through with us. “

Crispin Jeffries Jr., Band Instructor
“For me this is not my first time doing this. I have been doing this since the age of thirteen. I have been involved with carnival, drum and drill, and I have been playing drums since the age of six so I have something like twenty-seven years experience with drum and drill.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Dayna and Melissa, why did you guys decide to join your village’s first marching band?”

Melissa Jones, 12 years old
“Well because I think that it is good and we will learn something good in the end comes.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“And what have you been learning?”

Dayna Gillett, 12 years old
“How to move from side to side and how to move your feet, things like that.”

Raheem Usher, 11 years old
“This is the first time I di join wah band and all the dem weh I see, I dah always imagine I dah want go inna one.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“And play the drums?”

Raheem Usher
“Yes ma’am.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“Was it difficult learning how to play the drums?”

Raheem Usher
“No ma’am.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“So how it feels now that you are finally in the band?”

Raheem Usher
“To me I feel I like dah the one weh know how to play the drums the best.”

Marcus Lewis, 11 years old
“I am just learning.”

Jacqueline Godwin
“What has that been like?

Marcus Lewis
“It has been hard learning how to play.”

Crispin Jeffries Jr.
“What I have seen within the past four lessons is phenomenal. I expect great things from them.”

Although eleven year do Marcus Lewis may have had a difficult start, he says the children have all benefited from the summer programme in more ways than one.

Marcus Lewis
“Because they can stop walking around and stop playing bout and do something good in life.”

The Hattieville police have received support from the public and business community to make the programme possible.