belize  may  be  heading  for a  ''police  state''..  status

All different options have been tried to have a Better Batch of Police Officers but somehow they all end up the same. I say treat the situation from the Start and there will be no problems at the end. Its just like sending a kid to school...without the education he or she cannot become a Doctor, lawyer, Receptionist etc.....So why hire the Officers in the first place in they haven't been in school...There must be some education Degree, Certificate that one must get inorder to be accepted into the Police Industry then go one from there with many other Seminars, Courses...and tranining......We can't just hire a primary school drop out or someone who has never been to school... or if they have some education system set up in place. .... 

Yes, we all need to think about those who are not financially able to attend school..that is where the Government ofcourse will need to step in and take action. We cannot feel sorry for them, because they are very important people, who has a very important role in molding our country. 

And I'm sure that this issue has nothing to do with politics, being a San Pedrana or not cause I'm sure we are ALL Proud Belizeans....

I exactly agree with what is happening here.It is true that they treat people very bad even if you go to the station,there is a dark skin lady that has a bad attitude that attends to you and think that because of their uniform they can treat you the way they feel,they do not even have respect for pple.If they are there it is to try help and why the hell do they get in that job if they know they don't like it and will be treating people like animals.Not even a question u can ask because they answer u in bad manners even though u are tryin to be nice with them.    I think they have to get some classes on morals and respect and show them how to treat the citizens and especially the tourists here in Bze.  

On the other hand this guy at the CIB is another one too that put innocent people in jail and the criminal ones are out havin a nice life because some inoccent people are serving for them jus because they dont like you they will put you in jail,so pple watch out cause even u no do wrong you can go to jail because they don't like you.And they dont see how the family and kids suffer like they have their family wit dem they don't care about the rest,But their day will someday come,remember the saying"what goes around comes around.

Thk u,

a concerned san pedrana.

Just a suggestion, a constant changing of the guard.  Rotating the police including the ones in charge will keep bad habits and complacency to a minimum.  change does not come from complaining, but from decisive action.  Citizens have so much more power to make change happen when they band together, put aside the petty differences and decide on what needs to be done for the common good.  The needs of the many should be the deciding factor. 

What we really need here in San Pedro is Municipal Police officer which are under the council send those lil officers back where they come from, the ones that they should arrest they don't and the poor one that can't defence themselves yes they harass them.

Excuse me?? The money San Pedranos worship?? So what do you come to do in San Pedro??  Aren't you here for the money which most of it goes to rent, verses you staying home and work for the same money you end up with after you pay rent and or party. Maybe have alittle extra to go back to visit with a pair of nice tennis shoe which you neighbour sees and next thing you know, comes to San Pedro thinking he too will go back with a nice pair of tennis shoe and next think we know your whole village or town is here. When it's hurricane season you all run away especially if we get hit and when everything is back in order thanks to the same San Pedranos that stays, you come back with three more of your relatives that is if you still have money to come back!  You start to want to be a San Pedrano and when you can't find enough money to pay for the life you are trying to imitate, you end up stealing from the San Pedranos to be able to complete with them, not knowing how they have, what they have!

Complainin.......complaining......complaining. All San Pedranos do is just that. First they cry about outsiders who they claim are taking over and terorizing their Island making it unsafe. Police come in to help clean up the streets, they complain. They can't be pleased because they don't Know what they want besides the money they all worship. Thats the same reason why san Pedro is the way it is right now (ONE BIG SELLOUT). Check how many of them own beach lots, they sell it out to foriegners so they end up living in mosquito infested back lands. Get your shit together San Pedranos.

I am totally aware of the situation you people are writing about. The good news is that it happens less in San Pedro than in other parts of the country where all the people are poor and no one listens to their complaints of police brutallity.

There is the Internal Affairs branch of the Police Department where these sort of abuse are supposed to be dealth with but the disciplinary measures are applied discriminately. Those members of the police department with connections to politicians and/or high-ranking police officers are untouchable. They can do anything they want and they are always protected. Remember the unidentified human remains for which Mr. Chester Williams and Edward Broaster were accusing each other. They were the only onces who knew of the existence of those human bones at a particular location because they are the onces responsible for the death of that person - until things went wrong between them. Those two police officers are supposed to be in jail now but they are still police officers - and the authorities from the great USA are supporting them, too. Literacy of illiteracy does not play a roll here; it is the mentallity of the individuals and established practices in the department.

At some points in the performance of their duties the presence of a JP is required but they don't invite any JP to supervise them. They only use those JPs who support, encourage, and cover their brutal/criminal actions. They farther go to the courts to lie and deny their criminal behaviors.

I must state here, though, that there are some good police officers in the Belize Police Department. To effectively deal witht the rest, there needs to be an independent body legally authorized to receive and investigate complaints of police misconducts and to prosecute and apply the necessary penalties. This independent body should not involve any politician or police officer and membership should be open to any concerned and responsible citizen. The Police Department cannot police itself. In the present police department, if a police officer make a report against another police officer of a lower rank, that report will be dealth with quickly. If a police officer make a report against another of a higher rank, the one who make the report is the most likely to be victimized and punished. If a citizen make a report against a police officer, everything will depend on the financial and/or social position of the accuser and the rank and connections of the officer being accused.

This is first-hand knowledge and experience of the internal workings of the Belize Police Department.

On the good side, here is a short police joke.  A man went to the doctor who checked the man's stomach, his liver, his kidneys and all his vital organs, but he could find nothing wrong.  He finally check his head and found out there was nothing in there too.  So the doctor suggested, " There is nothing in your head. Why don't you go join the Belize Police Force?

unfortunately all the negative comments are so true. a couple days ago my daughter and I were walking down by Boca del Rio, when we noticed 2 police guys, a creole and a spanish decent, stopping a man that was riding a bike. As soon as they told the guy to stop, he got off the bike and complied, however the police were very aggresive with this individual. THe  creole police pulled out his GUN,  HIS GUN and held it on his hand, as if the guy was put a resistance. While the other police had a huge baton pointing and poking at the guy. Unfortunately thye do abuse of their authority. My daughter was distraught at this scenario. She was asking me if it was necessory for the officers to threat the guy so rough. Shame on them!!