Major Crimes Down; Murders Up

Last year, for the first time in many years, Belize recorded fewer than a hundred murders. But 2024 is not looking as if it is going to be a repeat of 2023 in that category. Today, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams was in a Compstat Meeting before meeting with the media in Belmopan. He said that the police have been making arrests for several murders and this week, someone will be arrested for the murder of Darren “Dalla Coin” Taylor in Dangriga. We asked Williams to share the figures with us. He said that while major crimes are down, murders are up.

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Right now, in terms of our overall, national crime outlook, we are down in major crime overall, but where murders are concerned, we’re up by seven compared to last year. We continue to do our best to be able to address the murders. One murder is one too much, but we do understand that we can’t stop all from happening. But we certainly will continue to do what we can to stop as much as we can. And again, we continue to appeal to the Belizean people to, assist us in whatever way possible to be able to prevent and solve murders when they do occur. Once we solve these murders, we get the alleged murderer off the street. That also serves as a way of prevention because that person will be incarcerated and will not be able to commit another murder unless he is released from prison.”