Cop transferred from the island after arresting tourist
Sharmane Young
There is another story involving a police, but this time, the female corporal is being removed from the San Pedro Police Unit after a US tourist was charged and arrested in the island. P.C. Sharmane Young was reportedly cursed and manhandled by Liza Marie Mertz, a nurse from Syracuse who was vacationing in the island. Mertz was charged with using indecent and insulting words, boisterous behavior, resisting lawful police arrest and assaulting a uniformed police officer on November twenty-fourth during a search of a man who was allegedly selling drugs. Mertz reportedly displayed unbecoming behavior and when she was told she was about to be arrested, she resisted and hurled obscenities at Young. According to the San Pedro Sun, there was interference by both the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Tourism. Minister Manuel Heredia visited the San Pedro police station to inquire about Mertz and was not too happy that she had been detained and charged.
Liza Marie Mertz
The COMPOL wanted Mertz to be granted bail and released. Mertz was granted police bail and appeared before the San Pedro Magistrate Court on November twenty-seventh. She pleaded guilty to four charges, and not guilty to the charge of assaulting a uniformed police officer. And on November thirtieth, she was found guilty of assaulting a uniformed police officer and fined a total of one thousand three hundred three hundred and fifty dollars for all charges. Shortly after the case, Young received her transfer order which now takes effect on December fifteenth.
Oh boy…….only in Belize. When the commissioner himself will stoop so low as to getting involved in a matter between one of his Officers whom he place in harm’s way and an unruly vagabond, is it any wonder that morale is at an all time low amongst law enforcement individuals?
You may overlook and excuse Junior…… but the Commish?
Somehow Henderson comes across as being not too very bright himself, anyhow.
Our police are far from perfect, but it’s generally stupid for politicians like Hon. Heredia to stick their noses into active police investigations. Unless he was there as a witness, what was his interest in this particular case?
As a rule, our police in major tourist areas need to be trained to the highest level, so as not to give our major industry an international black eye. At the same time, I don’t believe tourists have special rights to break our laws with impunity. Sometimes it’s a fine line to walk.
I was in San Pedro over the summer and I witness this same female office abusing her power. Roughing up a female bar customer ,pushing her down not once but three time,. The lady had blood puring from her face while being escorted out.. This officer don’t know how to talk with the public, it was shocking the way in which she carried out her duty. She has no place in law enforcement , in my opinion ..
Should have paid lawyers more, and faster.
All good!
next time Mertz, family and friends visit Belize for the big legal workshop on how not to get convicted in Belize, P.C. Young can bring flowers at the airport to greet them.
Drinks on COMPOL & minister of tourism!
Don’t miss the speakers Mello, Grant, Humes, Roches, Middleton, Usher and Logan; McAfee will give the keynote on video from Guatemala. Special discount for the first 100 child molesters.
Belize, a haven for local gangs and paying foriegn fugitives & terrorists.
Ah the jewel!
I keep the tell unu barrow and his gov are bigots they are prejudice against anyone who is not black. And now barrow has paid the most prejudice man on earth to come and spew his lies and hatred of all non blacks to Belize. How can you let barrow spend your hard earned money on lunatics like Farrakhan this is an unprecedented action by gov. Unu Betta wake up all a unu who are non blacks this is racism in reverse just like judas barrow is Robin Hood in reverse he steals from the poor to feed himself and his gov.
This is how our Politicians interfere in Police work….it happens all the time….AND THEY CANT SAY NO…THEY DO IT..THATS A FACT!!!!!….The prime Minister should discipline his Ministers…who intervenes in the execution of justice…who knows if the Minister of Tourism didn’t intervened in the McCaffee Case????….
Why is it that when a Police do wrong they leave him or here there and when they do the right thing some @$$ get involve and do a transfer. No way in America you can assault a Police and get away with it or to say a Congress person go and help. Is this country belong to America.
What a silly mess!
The minister Heredia is a son of@#%& . Of course he had something to do with McAfee. Politicians should never get involved in police work plain and simple. Thats why we have sooo much drugs and crime in the country.
If a cop does his/her job it is wrong. What if they do right. What will it be?
San Pedro cannot keep a long standing officer in charge at that station, must be the hardest posting in Belize.
It’s seems that in the Jewel they’ve got a special constitution for white people.This fool assaulted one of our Police officer and she got the Minister of Tourism and the commissioner of Police on her side.What a ! joke.Assault a police officer in the us and your @$$ get imprisoned and deported back to Belize.
Minister Heredia at one time said black people would be asked for ID and if they have money to spend on the island when coming off the boat, this is because they come to our island to beg and commit crime and sell drugs.Belize City gawn to the dawgs now they want to come to our island.
Ploce own Belize
*Police*
I guess with Macafee gone…La Isla Bonita has to find a way to remain in the spotlight!
that is just how the island gose once they don’t like you there they will get ride of you quick, quick quick. so that is telling you , you can’t do your jod the way you want.
The police just needs to beahve in a more professional manner.
Ok- so next time we are in the US let me c if I act disorderly and Obama comes to visit me and request bail for me? probably so- right?
Dumb fools-
As an American, I am embarrassed by this idiot’s behavior, and I apologize to Cpl. Young for my country-woman’s actions. If Cpl. Young’s transfer has ANYTHING to do with this (obviously justified and necessary) arrest, then she needs to be returned to San Pedro to continue her work. If tourists, from any country, cannot act in a respectful and acceptable manner, then they should be dealt with according to the same law that applies to all Belizeans. This woman chose to act like a child, and Cpl. Young is a Police Officer, NOT a babysitter!
(from twitter)
She pleaded guilty,,,so I deduce that she admits guilt. There is a huge difference with tourists’ behavior from the states than those from Europe and other parts. Some Americans think they can act badly towards third world nations with impunity. In this particular case, I give her the benefit of the doubt for being high and or drunk. She realized her mistake when she got locked up. Some one called the US embassy and a favor was called into the minister who called the commissioner. By the way the Belize media did not comment on her companion’s statement to the police who agreed that Mertz acted inappropriately. I read his statement on a US media outlet. I lam from the Syracuse area and I will look her up for a follow-up on what really went down.
no luck finding a lisa marie mertz licensed as a nurse or practical nurse in new york state.
REF”remember” Me and my husband live on the island, and not one day in my life we ever beg anybody for anything. As a matter a fact we live better than some of those who born on the island. I think u have it wrong. U need to check ur stat. cuz its the aliens and the San Pedrandos who beg those white ppl for donations and can’t give account. U don’t c black kids during school hours begging on the beach, or touring tourist around when they should be in school.Also in BZ city we work for our education we don’t buy our papers we earn it. Everything is just about the money and the BEER. And my CITY nuh done cuz only in SP tourist use the kids(BOYS) for money and nobody say anything. And also not just bcuz somebody is black they come from the CITY. In the city ppl come from all over the country just like SP. And when anything happend we don’t cry and say they dah nuh fah ya we deal with it cuz once u have Belizean papers u have the right to every square inch of this country. @$$!!!!!!!!