19 Firearms Retrieved After Recent Tradeoff with SOE Detainees

The extended State of Emergency, which saw dozens of young men from various neighborhoods in Belize City and Roaring Creek Village detained, has come to an end. Many of these individuals, including numerous gang members, were required to surrender their weapons, yet the department managed to retrieve only nineteen firearms. Earlier today, we spoke with the Commissioner of Police to get his insights now that these alleged troublemakers are back on the streets.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We didn’t get as much as expected.  We got a total of nineteen weapons, different calibers and a number of ammunitions.  Those were collected and submitted as found property and will be sent to the National Forensics [Science] Service firearm or ballistics unit for testing.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“What has the observation been in the wake of that extended SOE, in terms of how the gangs interact with each other at this point?”

 

Chester Williams

“Well we do have follow-ups.  Brother Nuri is tasked to ensure that he does follow up with them to ensure that we have a system where they don’t just come out of SOE and we leave them right there.  We want to do programs with them, so Brother Nuri and LIU are tasked in ensuring that we do follow-ups and different programs with them.  We have a system where they were told that if it is that there is some issue is brewing between them and other groups, for them to come forward and let us know and then we’ll step in and do intervention, mediation.  I think some of them are serious about trying to make a change and we must do what we can to help them make that change.”