Police on Alert During Tropical Storm Watch

The police also play a major part during the passage of a storm and as Belize enters tropical storm watch, it means that the police duties will increase. Commissioner Williams says that various formations have their own plan to activate which will include keeping the peace, while also keeping a watch out for the public moving around. It is selfless service because the officers must leave their own families to brave the streets and keep the community safe.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We met yesterday as the command structure and the commanders were told to activate their hurricane plans, look at what will be needed in terms of supply for officers who are going to be in the areas to be affected, as well as to make sure that we look at the hurricane shelters. We are working in tandem with NEMO. We get our instructions from NEMO in terms of how we move where the hurricane is concerned. But as a department, we must also put together our own contingencies, so we already advised the officers to make sure they look after their own personal security or safety of their families, so that if or when the time comes that they need to engage in hurricane duties, they won’t have to be worrying about their families, where their families are. So again, It’s a situation where police officers have to leave their families to go and take care of other people. That’s the vicissitudes of being a police officer and we do this every day with pride and commitment because we are adamant in making sure that we serve our Belizean people the best way we possibly can. So, generally we are prepared  if the hurricane or tropical storm comes. As a department, we are prepared to police as best as we can, along with the other agencies that we’ll be working with.”