Police sponsor summer programme in Yabra

We run a fair amount of stories about rogue cops, the ones who violate the public trust and bring shame upon the rest of the force. But there’s another kind of rogue cop that we don’t often hear about: the police officer who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make the community a better place. News Five’s Kendra Griffith reports.

Inspector Diana Hall, Camp Coordinator
“During the summer kids are out and they don’t have anything to do, so we just wanted to do something for them positive.”

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
And so for the next four weeks kids from around Belize City will be able to go to the Yabra Community Policing Centre to participate in a wide range activities.

Insp. Diana Hall
“The summer programme started on Tuesday. We had the Fire Department who came in, Youth for the Future, and we are having educational lecturers. We have two weeks of computer classes, two weeks of vocational bible classes, and we will incorporate arts and crafts in it. We have music games.”

Over seventy-five kids have signed up so far for the free sessions, some of which are facilitated by the police officers themselves. These particular kids are learning about the different types of abuse.

Next door a group of younger of kids were doing arts and crafts under the guidance of P.C. Bradford Berry.

Kendra Griffith
“P.C. Berry, how many kids you have in your section today?”

P.C. Bradford Berry, Camp Facilitator
“Twenty-seven.”

Kendra Griffith
“How are you handling them?”

P.C. Bradford Berry
“It’s a bit stressful, but we manage through the day.”

We found seven year olds Jamir Budna and Tyra Williams hard at work on a maze.

Jamir Budna, Camp Participants
“You have to trace it.”

Tyra Williams, Camp Participant
“Tell ah ih hard bwai.”

Jamir Budna
“It is hard.”

Kendra Griffith
“Tyra, what have you been doing at the summer school?”

Tyra Williams
“Colour.”

Kendra Griffith
“What else?”

Tyra Williams
“Do the puzzle weh Jamir di do.”

Kendra Griffith
“Are you having fun?”

Tyra Williams
“Yes.”

P.C. Bradford Berry
“They are doing arts and craft, whereby they learn to colour and with the exercise we just did, it’s an exercise we just did, they have to use their brain to go through a puzzle to get to the end of the puzzle.”

Kendra Griffith
“They are enjoying themselves?”

P.C. Bradford Berry
“They are enjoying themselves, yes, because to start off the day they do a prayer, then they sing songs, then after that we get into the work whereby we start the activities.”

Kendra Griffith
“You having fun too?”

P.C. Bradford Berry
“Yes I am.”

Upstairs, P.C. Jorge Lemus was the officer in charge of the computer class.

P.C. Jorge Lemus, Camp Facilitator
“I don’t regularly teach but since the coordinator, Inspector Hall had asked to do a summer programme, I was willing to help with this programme.”

“We are teaching introduction to computers, the different parts of the computer to the age group of four to fourteen years old.”

Kendra Griffith
“How are the kids doing so far?”

P.C. Jorge Lemus
“They are excellent; very good listeners and they are well disciplined.”

But it’s not only children who are looking to brush up on their computer skills. Cleta Novelo is taking the course along with her daughter, eleven year old Florence Williams.

Cleta Novelo, Camp Participant
“I am just renewing my computer skills and trying to recap most of my knowledge and helping my daughter through school as well as being with her at summer school.”

Kendra Griffith
“Florence you don’t mind mommy taking a summer class with you?”

Florence Williams, Camp Participant
“No, miss.”

Kendra Griffith
“You having fun?”

Florence Williams
“Yes.”

Kendra Griffith
“What are some of the things you learnt?”

Florence Williams
“I learn how to write a letter, how to open a computer, plus I meet some new friends.”

Meeting new friends and getting to know their current ones better was exactly what this group of children down the hall were doing.

Tyrek Gillett, Camp Participant
“My best friend’s name is Nigel Trapp. He is eight years old, he likes to talk. He has one brother, he likes to play sports.”

Nigel Trapp, Camp Participant
“I would like to introduce my friend, Tyrek Gillett. He is nine years old.”

P.C. Ryan Timmons, Camp Facilitator
“They are saying this about themselves, but not from them but from their friends, so their friends are telling us about them. Thereafter, we will have a question and answer segment.”

“How many camps have Tyrek been on?”

Participant
“Six.”

P.C. Ryan Timmons
“Tyrek?”

Tyrek Gillett
“Yes sir.”

P.C. Ryan Timmons
“That is correct.”

And while the programme has the support of children and parents, camp coordinator and head of Community Policing, Inspector Diana Hall, is also calling on the business community to lend a hand.

Insp. Diana Hall
“We want to provide snacks for them or some sort of refreshment and with the amount maybe we will get up to a hundred and so we really need some assistance.”

The summer camp runs from nine a.m. to noon and from one to four in the evening. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.

Interested parents can register their child by completing a form available at the centre.