Police Association says it will resist being disbanded
Eldon Arzu
The Belize Police Association has taken to the airwaves to ventilate their grievances with the senior command of the force. They are taking issue with the sudden transfer of a number of officers which is being resisted by the association because of the undue haste in the way it is being undertaken. The officers were given two weeks to move and while it was put on hold, the transfer remains unresolved. Tonight, the president and vice president say they will resist any attempt to disband the association. A scheduled meeting with the high command did not materialize and according to the association in a press release, there is vindictive resistance from the office of the Commissioner of Police. President Corporal Eldon Arzu, says new blood is needed at the top of the department.
Cpl. Eldon Arzu, President, Police Association
“I was only told that the commissioner of police is about to strip the association of its powers and equipment, it’s building, etcetera. We are yet to see something in writing from him and we will wait and see what’s next.”
Delahnie Bain
“So did you have any idea what this meeting would have been about? If it would have been the dismantling of the association?”
Cpl. Eldon Arzu
“We have no idea as to what the meeting would have been about.”
Delahnie Bain
“And if he were to decide to disband the association, is that something you all could challenge?”
Cpl. Eldon Arzu
“Most definitely; there is nothing in the police act that I have read, which gives the commissioner the power to dismantle this association. Again, if you look in the Belize constitution there are provisions for the formation of an association so I don’t know where the commissioner is getting his material from but from my understanding, there is nothing that the commissioner can do to disband this association. I wouldn’t say that we are concerned about my job, the issue here is that under the constitution there are provisions for associations and all we are telling the commissioner is to look at the constitution and let us have respect for the rule of law. That’s all we’re saying.
Sgt. Edlin Lorenzo, Vice President, Police Association
“I’m not concerned about my job at this time. I think it’s time for someone to take a stand at this time and if we have to be the sacrificial lambs, then I know we’re gonna get the support from the public and from our police populace because they need representation. We’re tired of these injustices. Most of the people who administrate the police department, to me are obsolete. We’re looking for new blood, new blood that’s what we’re looking at and that’s my opinion and I have the right for my opinion. We need new blood and people who can move this thing forward and be receptive because these issues are simple issues.”
o my GOD look whose the big fish of that police corrupt association please commissioner disband that association quik and hurry that man is no good just as the association take it from me
Keep doing your thing brother Eldon tiered of all the nepotism and appointments to office as a result of political affiliations.It’s going to be hard but it’s not impossible.You’re going to be victimize by some of the people in your command but don’t let that discourage you for standing for what is right.
Shame on Minister Saldivar —- When in the public service he spoke about reform and making things better for public officers — now he is in a position to make a change and he has closed his eyes.
We cannot blame the Commissioner of Police — he should be excused for he knows nothing of management and does not have any Degree. But the Senior officers around him who do have Degrees — are a bunch of selfish officers!!!!
The question is simply about the time required to be notified of transfer!!! In this case 2 weeks is not enought — what is hard for them to understand about that!!!
Any person with their head on their body — would know that it is unfair to be told of a transfer within two weeks.
Minister of Labour, Leader of the Oposition, Mr. Sampson, Ms. Antonette Moore, Ms. Dolores, Mr. Said Musa —- help the police officers. I am certain that if Mr. Saldivar is apart of this and does not want to help the officers this is certainly his last term in office!!!!!!!!!!!! Jump on it Oposition!!!
By the way where is the Prime Minister — cant he see that anything Saldivar puts his hands on spoils!!!!!!!!!!
So much corruption.
Yes corruption is rampant in this gov. So much so that they can’t even trust each other and like how their is absolutely no leadership in this gov. Corruption is so natural like eating rice and beans.
Imagine —- crime high — so the current administration — will pay the gang members and — rough up the police—-
Shame on the minister —– Shame on the Comissioner and his aid — this is what happens when an uneducated person is placed on top!!!! Nobody cares about the police officers —–
Even the educated senior officers know that they are taking advantage of junior officers and they sit back and do nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They only care about themselves!!!!!
This is a shame on the Commissioner. He is acting immature and being tit for tat. It is clear that the commissioner is using his power to manipulate officers from the inside, if he does it with his own police officers what can the public expect from him. Sounds like curruption at the Commissioner’s office to me…no surprise there. I commend the BPA for standing grounds. It has been years and years without real action from the BPA. I am happy to see a change and a sound committment for the welfare of all Police Officers. The OLD and Senior officers, who continue to use bruteforce to get what they want, need to GO! The minister need to put a young and vibrant senior officer, and stop putting old and tired officers who cannot speak well, cannot write well and don’t understand how to manage “impartially.”
Please, Minister of National Security, lets put a respectable and intelligent officer as Commissioner for a change.
bout time someone stand up for the Police
That Jose is really, for respect to this medium, I don’t want to express it. Puppet “speculation” Henderson has no say. It is his boss the Minister of national Security, calling the shots, he just has to comply. But he is good at that, pleasing and jumping whenever he is told to do so. The worse part maybe deep down inside he is surely aware of the genuineness of the association, however that is not his prerogative, he just wants to please his boss at any cost. if he was told to arrest his mother, without hesitation he would do so, without asking any question. This has been our worst commissioner ever in the history of our beloved department. Like the saying says, From grace to grass to …………….
Moving police around? That only means one tning something big is comming and those police are moved for a reason. I agree this comes from the very,very top. “Its a consperacy man”.
The way I see it, the Members of the Police Ass. are downright disrespectful. If you want RESPECT, you must earn it. Don’t try to give demands or ELSE. Humble yourself young officers, go to the negotiation table (if you don’t know how to negotiate, get some help from those who know. Don’t be ashame to ask). The media should have been the last place that you went. This should have been an internal negotiation not a public puppet show. If you have the interest of all your officers/members (not yourselves who you figure will be transferred because of sitting in one place for too long), then you would make sure you allow the process to work. There is NO WAY you will be now be respected by the high command. You have put a wrench in the relationship simply by your hard-core, no matter what behavior and attitude.
Hello I loveuBelize.What about freedom of speech.There isn’t anything wrong with these officers going to the media.We as Belizeans need to change our way of thinking if we are to move forward as a people.
some police just go and have a talk with saldivar for a transfer and he calls the commissioner and whatever saldivar says goes!so in order to please some police officers they have to move the others ..and it causes chaos!.but this is mr.saldivars doing! the commissioners hands are tied!
iloveubelize……dont knw wat s/he talking about. carlos perdomo and doug singh came before and promise to look at these very same issues that saldivar claims he’s gonna look at. 4yrs and notin has hapen so far. so wat make you tink that we believe that saldivar is genuine. bird of a feather. the association pulled the best card. let the country knw that police officers are being taken for granted all the time. take a drive in bze city when its raining and see where the police shelter. take a minute and look at the police booths. no toilets. no electricity. this is more dan jus transfer. and it has been happening from swing bridge was board! if the commisioner want to see police riot, let him try and dismantle the association. we are fed up!