Home Affairs Minister Speaks on Shakeup in the Police Department

Kareem Musa

With the pending retirement of Deputy Commissioner of Police Deziree Magdaleno, there is a shakeup in the Belize Police Department. Aaron Guzman becomes the new Deputy ComPol and Senior Superintendent Hilberto Romero takes over as the new regional commander for the Eastern Division, replacing A.C.P. Howell Gillett, who is now making a lateral move to head the Community Policing Unit at the national level. Some are of the impression that it was a demotion for Gillett, but Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa feels otherwise.

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“Whenever we have senior officers retiring from the department and in this case, we have Deputy Commissioner Magdaleno who is retiring in the coming weeks, with that vacant post, then there is going to be major shifts within the department. And so we have ACP Howell Gillett, who has been doing a very good job in Belize City as well, one of his big strengths is community policing and now we will be moving him up to head community policing. ACP Guzman will then be taking on the DCP role. As you know, ACP Guzman was at community policing, but now he is moving up as Deputy Commissioner of Police.”

Reporter

“Sir you said that Gillett is moving up, but isn’t it more of a demotion? Going from commanding the biggest formation to community policing…”

Kareem Musa

“I would not consider this a demotion by any stretch. It is a parallel move. In fact he’s going to head an entire community policing desk which is for the entire country of Belize. And like I said, that is something that we recognise one of his strengths – reaching out to the business community, reaching out to the students, to the schools and engaging the community. And that is truly one of the big points for us in PlanBelize.”