Representatives from the special branch sections of twenty-one Caribbean police departments are in Belize to exchange experiences and discuss new strategies in the fight against crime. In his address, Head of Special Branch in Belize, Superintendent Mauricio Uk, stated that in light of global terrorism it is important that the intelligence communities in the region […]
It landed on the Belize side of the Sarstoon River, allegedly after dodging an armed party of pursuers that, depending on whose story you want to believe, included the Guatemalan police, army, air force, and U.S. D.E.A.. Tonight the Bell 206 helicopter with two bullet holes remains under guard in the Toledo District awaiting its […]
The two improvements in the capabilities of the Belize Defence Force officially made today will not tip the balance in the war on drugs or any other war…but they are a welcome addition. Patrick Jones reports from Ladyville. Patrick Jones, Reporting When he handed over the keys to the new set of wheels, United States […]
And while the B.D.F. may be upgrading its logistical and technological skills, the fact remains that a significant portion of our army is on patrol, not in the jungle, but on the streets of Belize City. According to the Minister of Defence, while that is not where they ought to be, given the situation on […]
Even the harshest critics of the Police Department would have to admit that, thanks to a new fleet of vehicle and improved radios, the response time to crime reports has improved dramatically. And that trend should continue with a grant from the Republic of China on Taiwan. The sixteen thousand, three hundred and sixty U.S. […]
They may seem like nothing more than little green and yellow wooden boxes along the major highways, but police checkpoints are becoming increasingly important tools in the fight against crime. Today, two more booths were officially dedicated in Cayo, and as you will see, before the ceremonies were even over some drugs were discovered. Patrick […]
The public image of law enforcement authorities in the area of riot control has not been particularly strong, especially since the invention of the video camcorder and the proliferation of television stations only too eager to use them. Now very much aware that the whole world is watching, the police are taking steps to ensure […]
The generic name given to official handing over ceremonies is a “dog and pony show”…and while there were no horses to be seen in Belmopan this morning, the U.S. Embassy’s donation of anti-drug equipment did include three canines. According to U.S. Ambassador Russell Freeman, the new additions will significantly upgrade the Police Department’s ability to […]
The Police Department’s crime-fighting initiative has received a major shot in the arm with some new communication equipment. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry answered the cop’s call for assistance to set up a nationwide radio network that would allow private security firms to stay in touch with the police twenty-four hours a day. […]
The ships of the United States Coast Guard and Navy are not the only vessels plying the waters of the Caribbean in search of drug runners. The United Kingdom usually has at least one ship of the Royal Navy cruising somewhere between Bermuda and Belize. That patrol, aside from drug interdiction, is also ready to […]
In police news of a positive nature, the Belize Chinese Association has presented a fully loaded computer and accessories to the newly appointed Officer in Charge of the Eastern Division, Maureen Leslie. According to B.C.A. President, Lee Mark Chang, the donation is part of the Chinese community’s continuing effort to assist the department. Lee Mark […]
They defend our threatened borders and patrol Belize City’s mean streets. Never before in this young nation’s history have we needed the Belize Defence Force more than today…and this evening the B.D.F. welcomed its newest members into the family. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods reports from Ladyville. Jacqueline Woods, Reporting The eighty-eight members of recruit intake […]
The annual B.D.F. volunteer training exercise is underway in the Mountain Pine Ridge. Today, Minister of Defence Sylvia Flores toured the facilities, where around three hundred soldiers, men and women, are learning a variety of military and survival skills. It was the first time the newly appointed Flores has witnessed the volunteer training. She was […]
In news from the south, tonight residents of the villages of Jalacte and Bella Vista in the Toledo District are feeling a little safer, thanks to their new police stations. The buildings were officially declared open over the weekend by Commissioner of Police Carmen Zetina. According to Zetina, the increased police presence in the area […]
Police have another new vehicle at their disposal tonight, but it’s not a Ford Focus or Ranger pickup. When the community of Sandhill was left off the most recent four-wheel list, a good Samaritan stepped forward to help out. Sandhill resident John Gongora today presented the police with a new motorcycle that will help the […]
Their presence would probably not have saved the life of Alfonso Vernon, but tonight more than forty new police officers are walking the streets…the latest recruits to graduate from the Police Training Academy in Belmopan. During ceremonies held at the academy on Friday afternoon, forty-one men and women were officially sworn in as police constables. […]
This evening the Belize Police Department took delivery on the last installment of shiny new metal. The twenty cars and pickup trucks bring the new fleet that the police have received over the past three weeks to one hundred. During a short ceremony, Police Commissioner Carmen Zetina said the vehicles will enhance their mobility in […]
As the newly elected government gets settled in, the ministers are making their rounds. Taking a tour of the facilities at Price Barracks in Ladyville this morning was Minister of Defence Sylvia Flores. Flores, accompanied by C.E.O. Anthony Sylvester, inspected a Guard of Honour and met with top officers of the Belize Defence Force. As […]
In police news of a more promising nature, the department today took delivery of another forty new vehicles: nineteen cars and twenty-one pickups. The latest shipment brings the size of the fleet to eighty, all Ford Rangers and Focuses. The final twenty cars and trucks are expected soon. Police officials say that a strong commitment […]
You’d think that a military machine now in its final countdown to war wouldn’t have the time or interest to engage in a minor public relations exercise half a world away from the front…but somehow it does. News 5’s Jacqueline Woods found out this morning that not all U.S. military personnel will be marching on […]
To those who can remember when the law enforcement vehicle of choice was a bicycle, the purchase of one hundred new cars and trucks for the Police Department is something out of science fiction. But seeing is believing and today the cops took the opportunity to show off their new transport. Janelle Chanona, Reporting This […]
While March fifth has been declared a holiday, one group of people who will be working around the clock are the men and women of the Police Department. Taking the responsibility seriously, Police Commissioner Carmen Zetina says his officers will be out in full force to ensure that law and order is maintained. Carmen Zetina, […]
By the standards of the English speaking Caribbean islands, it’s a finely tuned, well equipped military juggernaut; but by Central American measurements, the Belize Defence Force barely qualifies as a standing army, boasting not a single tank, fighter plane or helicopter. How ever you want to judge the B.D.F., it remains our first line of […]
Nearly every study ever conducted on the Belize Police Department has stressed the need for improved training at every level…and there are signs that those recommendations are being heeded. Last week we visited a course on crime scene management conducted by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Yesterday News 5’s Marion Ali sat in on […]
A graduation ceremony held today in Belize City may not signal a speed-up in the immigration investigation, but it just may help decrease the crime rate in the future. News 5’s Marion Ali has more. Marion Ali, Reporting As part of its five-year Policing Plan, the Belize Police Department is providing the force with more […]
