Police Spokesman on Keeping Officers Healthy

Fitzroy Yearwood

And while the department is looking into Corporal Blanco’s death, members of the media asked what efforts are being made by the Belize Police Department to keep officers healthy, like the other security forces.

ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department

“You touched on Coast Guard, B.D.F., they are not out here patrolling daily. They are not out here doing investigations daily. So, they have more leisure time to work out. We recently obtained a gym we believe the officers should utilize. But, at the same time we cannot mandate or force anyone to go to a gym, because at the end of the day, the gym has a fee. And, if they are already complaining about the expenses without a gym fee, you could imagine the problems we would face forcing or mandating officers must attend a gym and pay twenty dollars per month. Yes, you are right in saying many officers have underlying conditions. I didn’t come into this department suffering from anything. Of course I joined at a very young age. But, twenty-five years later I do have underlying conditions. It could be attributed to a whole lot of stuff other than the way we eat and so forth. It could be hereditary. But, for us to generalize it, it will be unfair to the commissioner of police. He has made his best effort to secure a gym that they can actually go in there for an hour if they want to, half hour if they want to. And, it is always open.  We actually have a professional that runs the gym.  If you notice, and I am very sad to say this because I don’t support these institutions, but if you pass on Freetown Road in the afternoon time, not only police officers but a whole lot of other Belizeans that work actually in lines to buy these unhealthy food. And, it is sad that these people cannot go home at lunch for a health home cooked meal.”