Chester Says Detaining 13-year-old may Save his Life

The ninety-day state of emergency enacted by the Belize Police Department has received mixed reactions from the public. While some view it as a necessary step in ensuring the safety of citizens, others see it as an infringement on their freedom, particularly from those living in neighborhoods known to the police for frequent gang activity. Recently, the mother of a thirteen-year-old boy released a statement to the media explaining that her son has been held under the S.O.E. for over a month; an act she believes is unjust. Today, we sat down with Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, who explained that, although a minor, the individual is known to the police for gang-related activities and is being held for the safety of the public as well as his own.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Have you not reported on many instances where minors are either being charged for murder or a heinous crime?  And even situations where minors are killed. You have had a number of those reportings, right?  So it is not farfetched to have a thirteen-year-old under the SOE. The thirteen-year-old year old in question, I know him and I believe that he had been shot once. Reports to us just Two days prior to the SOE was that he was accused of chasing somebody in the Martins area with a gun to shoot.  It is sad to see that it’s a thirteen-year-old year old and while we’d like to be empathetic towards him,  I think that the current situation he’s in is one that is going to  enable him to really reflect on his life very long life. In terms of, does he want to continue that lifestyle of crime and violence, or does he want to step out of it? I think that as a society we need to look at things holistically and don’t just look at it from the standpoint that he’s a thirteen-year-old year old, but look at it from the standpoint that if he’s not there and he’s left to roam the streets, you might report of him being killed or you might report of him killing somebody. And I Do believe that what we’re doing is going to help him more than affecting him.”