Crime Stats: murders down for 1st half of year

The top brass of the Belize Police Department converged at the Police Training Academy as ComPol Allen Whylie presented the latest crime statistics for 2013 up to the end of May.  Major crime, particularly murders have decreased since the start of the year. Mike Rudon reports on the department’s initiatives that appear to have limited success. 

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Today Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie, who was appointed to that post five months ago, was understandably relieved and proud to report that crime statistics up to the end of May show that there has been a decrease in major crimes.

Allen Whylie

Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police

“Our statistics are out. It is showing that at the end of May, we had fifty-one recorded murders compared to sixty at the same time in 2012. In terms of rape, we had twelve reported up to the end of May compared to fourteen for the same period in 2013. In terms of robberies we had a hundred and seventeen cases reported compared to two hundred and sixteen for the same period in 2012. In terms of burglaries, we have recorded four hundred and three cases of burglary compared to four hundred and seventy cases. And in terms of theft, we have recorded three hundred and ninety-four cases compared to three hundred and ninety-three cases in 2012. Where we have seen a spike is in the area of carnal knowledge where we have recovered thirty-nine cases for 2013 compared to seventeen for the same period in 2012. Over all, we have seen one thousand and sixteen cases of major crime reported for 2013 up to the month of May compared to one thousand one hundred and seventy cases for the same period in 2012. That is a reduction of a hundred and fifty-four reported cases.”

Whylie attributes a large portion of the credit for the decrease to precinct policing, an initiative which was launched four months ago. Regionally, there have also been structural changes in the department.

Allen Whylie

“From my level I’ve tried to provide the strategic directions in terms of where I believe we need to go and I am proud to say that we are starting to see those results. Eastern Division, in particular Belize City with the introduction of the precinct policing, we have been having many successes—not only in terms of preventative patrols, but also interdiction of persons involved in criminal activity. We have also seen mark relationship between the police and the community. We’ve done a number of youth cadet corps within the various precincts and those have had the full support of the parents and the community so we are starting to see a turnaround within Belize City. We are not there yet, where we want to be, but we continue to work hard in terms of trying to provide the level of safety and security that the community so deserves.”

While the department has made strides, Whylie says the police must make more advancements before they reach their desired goals and standards.

Allen Whylie

“While we’re seeing improvements in terms of the community relations and information passed to us, there is an issue of trust and confidentially and we have got to start continue working on those… Where I find that that trust is breached, then we try as quickly as possible to deal with those officers. But of course it requires the cooperation of the public and the persons who believe that information they had passed to us had been breached.”

At the briefing Northern Regional Commander Joseph Myvett was recognized with an award since in May, the northern formation showed a reduction in crime of forty-five percent over the month of April. Mike Rudon for News Five.