Police meet with rival factions to quell violence
Belize City police are hoping that cooler heads will now prevail following a meeting with key members of Back-A-Town and George Street crew. The gathering took place at the Queen Street police station and involved close to seventy persons from the rival groups. Also invited to be a part of the dialogue were representatives from the clergy, Ombudsman Paul Rodriguez, community activists Bert Tucker and Emmerson Guild and Krem morning talk show hosts Mose Hyde and Kalilah Enriquez. According to Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police and the Officer Commanding Eastern Division, Allen Whylie, the two hour session was cordial.
Ag. ACP Allen Whylie
“The problem is an old problem. It involves of course the illegal activities both groups are involved in, but it also involves a matter mistrust between the groups because of the various rumours flying around in terms of following the murder of Mr. Smith. And so we wanted to get the groups together and let them have the opportunity to speak amongst themselves as well as to hear our position and other interested parties position.”
“We sat with them and we explained the police point of view in terms of our legal statutory obligations to make the streets safe and to prevent and detect crime and we basically let them know that we would not be cutting any deals with anybody. We will be out there in full force enforcing the law and that whoever is caught with any illegal items of illegal activities will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.”
“I won’t be saying that we expect things to abate because there is number of different individuals involved and at the table persons will say one thing and then it may be translated into other actions. But both major players have agreed that they do not intend to escalate the situation and do not intend to retaliate. Of course, you know that there’s other followers who may have a different view and individually may be doing different acts and we will try to nip those things in the bud.”
“I didn’t feel any undue tension. It was cordial, there were concerns expressed by the various participants as well as the persons whom we had invited.”
Following the meeting, members of both groups who had been detained by police were released.
Among the concerns raised at the Queen Street meeting was an incident that occurred at three this morning inside the holding cells. It involved the police use of pepper spray and affected close to eighty persons. According to Allen Whylie, they have determined that it was one of their own officers who committed the act, but they have yet to identify the cop responsible.
Ag. A.C.P. Allen Whylie, O.C. Eastern Division
“Some officer went to the back of the cell block and released the pepper spray within the cell. Of course it spread throughout the cell and the prisoners had to be evacuated. We had the support of the Fire Department who washed out the place, we aired it out properly, and we made contact with some family members to bring clothing for those persons who had been doused by the water.”
“When wrongdoing occurs, a person’s first response is to deny. We are not denying that pepper spray was released, we are not denying that it had to be released by an officer, and we are interviewing the various officers who we knew had access to pepper spray and we are following up that matter.”
Meanwhile authorities continue to investigate alleged police brutality against John Baptist, who claims it was police who shot him in his foot during a raid on George Street on Monday evening. According to Whylie, they are also investigating another report in which Gerald Tillett, who was detained by police, was reportedly attacked by an officer who broke his jaw.
