ComPol Asks Public to Exercise Empathy After Police House Shot up

Last week, police got word that a police corporal’s house in Corozal had been shot at. Around 12:30 a.m. in the Finca Solana area, Officer Martin Marin dashed outside after hearing gunfire. He says he heard a motorcycle speeding away as he stepped out. A jeep belonging to Police Inspector Kimara Lopez was also hit, with two bullet holes found and several spent shells scattered around. Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, shared more details about the incident.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We have a basic idea of who are those persons behind it and the police have been going after these individuals and contrary to what I saw on social media and again, I want the Belizean people that we cannot be insensitive to the issues, especially where the potential loss of life existed. And we can’t be too harsh on the police officers who are out there every day making sure that you’re safe. I saw some of the comments where people were saying, it’s not good for the police, or the police are chancey, or the police this, the police that, Those comments are very disgusting. At the end of the day, we, we cannot live in a society where the police is not respected because if the criminals don’t respect the police, then how do you expect as an ordinary citizen, criminals are going to respect you? We have to be careful of what we promote or what we encourage. And again, the police officer in question, whose house was, was shot up, he’s an extremely hard-working police, and I can say a very decent one as well. You don’t hear his name out there involved in any criminal activities, but certainly he goes after criminals and perhaps that’s the reason why he was targeted because he’s extremely tough on those persons in the Corozal district who are hell bent on committing crime. So this is an officer who is out there every day. doing his best going above and beyond to ensure the safety of the people across our town. And I think that he ought to be commended. And in a time like this, where we saw that he was targeted, we need to sympathize with him and at the same time extend  whatever support we can to make him feel comfortable in continuing to discharge his duties as a police officer.”