In his first week as Commissioner of Police, Dr. Richard Rosado found himself confronting a rapidly deteriorating gang situation on the streets of Belize City. It led to the implementation of a state of emergency (SOE), a move often criticised as a temporary fix to deep-rooted crime issues. But Rosado insists there is a broader, long-term strategy in place to address the surge in gang violence.
He outlined his three-pronged approach: prevention, intervention, and enforcement.
“Our effort has always been three-fold: prevention, intervention and the enforcement strategy,” he explained. While enforcement and prevention remain key areas of focus for the Belize Police Department, Rosado stressed the critical role of community and stakeholder collaboration in the intervention phase.
“The intervention aspect of it, we rely on our stakeholders, we rely on the Leadership Intervention Unit,” he said. “They have been instrumenting in terms of the opportunistic programs, in terms of the mediation and the other intervention programs and support services.”
He further stressed that these three elements—prevention, intervention, and enforcement—must work together in a cohesive and well-coordinated effort. “All three levels must be coordinated and communicated with one another for it to be effective,” Rosado stated.
While the immediate use of a state of emergency may be necessary to stabilize volatile situations, the Commissioner made it clear that sustained peace will depend on long-term strategies built on partnerships, proactive policing, and meaningful community engagement.