Opposition Leader Chastises Police Top Brass

Today, Leader of the Opposition Moses “Shyne” Barrow came out swinging against Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, while condemning a viral video showing a police officer pistol whipping an individual. As we reported, the incident took place in San Pedro and was recorded by a bystander. The Belize Police Department is yet to issue a statement on the incident. Barrow says the silence of the department’s top brass is deafening.

 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“The first issue of national importance on behalf of the opposition and the people of Belize is the disturbing video of police brutality, excessive use of force, by an officer in San Pedro and the deafening silence of the police department and the Com Pol.  I understand that the gentleman in the video is the ComPol’s Godson, I think, officer Mackin. I know his father, his father is a good officer and long serving senior police, retired but, we have a responsibility to correct behavior that is reprehensible and the response of the officer, “oh he is away from his family” and basically that he is frustrated, is a red flag. He needs counseling, he needs help, more importantly he needs discipline because if this type of behavior is countenanced by the police top brass, then we are in trouble as a nation. So we in the U.D.P. and in larger society reject this type of excessive force and we condemn the behavior, and silence of these police department, top brass. I’ve seen in other instances where the ComPol will have police officers arrested immediately, and to not even condemn the actions of officer Mackin is very appalling. So we call on the top brass to take immediate action because there is no excuse for pistol whipping someone who is a suspect, allegedly. They said that suspect is armed to chastise someone that was recording him.”