Sixty-two Women Police Officers Promoted

The Belize Police Department has joined others that have decided to honour their female members during this, Women’s Month. Today, the department recognized sixty-two women through promotions they have earned in their career as police officers. They were all promoted one level up from where they were, from constable to corporal and all the way up to senior superintendent. The department held a ceremony today at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan and News Five’s Marion Ali was there and filed this report.

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“These women being promoted today were from among the officers who set the recent promotional exams and had gone through the promotional board interviews and were recommended for promotions. So all we did was to select the women from among that list, and we did the promotion today. Oftentimes we’ve heard managers, H.O.Ds speaking that they do appreciate women, but showing appreciation must be done by your conduct and not by words. In the department we are serious about making sure that we show the world that we love and appreciate the women who work with us.”

Anaceli Petillo

Anaceli Petillo, Promoted to Superintendent of Police

“Being a police officer, you must do your work twenty-four hours around the clock. However, whilst I am at work, I use two caps. I put on the work cap and when I reach home, I put on the home cap, which I have to act in the capacity of a mother to care for my family.”

Jacklaine Arzu

Jacklaine Arzu, Promoted to Corporal

“I am a mother of five beautiful children, and I go to work every day and make sure I execute my duties to the best of my abilities, and when I go home, I take on my motherhood. Where I work, it’s four of us, three males, and myself, the queen of that department. So I am thankful to be in that department and it’s not as challenging as it seems because we all get together and we do what we need to do to get the work done.”

Phylicia Williams

Phylicia Williams, Promoted to Corporal 

“I’ve been mostly dealing with analyses and intelligence for over those fifteen years. I began as a daughter, I became my mother and a wife in department. I’m currently in school, so it’s been challenging to juggle both motherhood and being a spouse, the work and school at the same time, but I’ve been taught at a young age to excel that everything you do, so I try to excel at everything I do, so there’s no questions as to where I am.”

Marion Ali

“How far do you want to, to, to reach?”

Phylicia Williams

“As far as I can go. I don’t want to stop as long as they recognize my hard work, I’ll accept it.”

Chester Williams

“Women are competent people, in some cases, even more competent than men. The encouragement today from Madam Speaker who was the guest speaker was for the female officers to make sure that they continue to do their best, strive for excellence and ensure that they break that proverbial glass ceiling of becoming the head of the police department. And I believe that one day we’re going to see that happen. I don’t want the men to feel like, oh, the commissioner is only promoting women and then forgetting us. So the promotion from meal officers will be next week, and those deserving meal officers have been promoted.”