Murder Rate is Down Compared to 2024  

This morning, the Belize Police Department shared the crime stats for the first quarter of 2025. Using data from the CompStat report, they compared this year’s criminal activity to the same period last year. The good news? Major crime is down by seven percent, and homicides have dropped by four percent. Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams gave more details on these encouraging findings.

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“My message this morning while it is that we can see a decrease in major crimes for the first quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2024, is that we cannot get disillusioned by the good numbers. We cannot get complacent by the good numbers, but rather we have to step up our efforts because last year, I can recall, the first quarter being a very difficult and challenging year for the police as was this year. And in similar fashion as we did last year, we will have to increase our efforts and certainly try to make better in the second quarter.”

 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“This morning looking at the first quarter of 2025, I must say it looks good. It’s not what I would want it to be. Certainly. You would know that I am very big in terms of preserving life. Those type of crimes that affects life like murders and attempted murders and so forth, are the ones that I would normally do my best to guard against. And again, for the simple fact that they do affect the livelihoods of others. Nonetheless, the murders are down compared to last year. We are four below last year’s figure and overall major crime is done by seven percent compared to the same period last year. So I am happy that I am handing over to the incoming commissioner with a crime rate below last year’s figure. And that, for me is good. So moving forward I just hope that the police department is going to be able to continue to function the way we have functioned over the past six plus years. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and the public depends heavily on the effectiveness of the police. And so making sure that the police remain effective is important.”