Police Officers Revitalise Community Parks in Celebration of Women’s Month

In celebration of Women’s Month, female officers of the Belize Police Department took on community projects to give back to the neighbourhoods they serve. Rolling up their sleeves, officers engaged in various initiatives aimed at uplifting their communities. According to Inspector of Police Hortence Hernandez, the projects were brainstormed by the officers themselves, with the women of the division taking the lead in fundraising to purchase materials.

“What we have for Eastern Police Division, the entire region, San Pedro, Caye Caulker, and the four precincts—Hattieville and Ladyville—today we decided to give back to the community, where we adopt a park. For Prosecution Branch, they decided to feed the homeless on the streets,” Hernandez explained. She added, “We did raffles, we did barbecue sales, we asked for donations, and that’s how we got the material that we are working with today.”

One of the projects took place at Armadillo Park on Dolphin Street in Belize City. Hernandez and her team saw firsthand how much their efforts meant to the children who use the space. “When we came and examined the park, we realised that it is in deplorable condition, and this is where children in this area play, so we’re trying to give them something more welcoming,” she said. The reaction from the community was immediate and heartwarming. ‘One of them said to us, “Miss, thank you very much for cleaning our park.’ We also had two little girls from the neighbourhood come out and help paint the basketball court. So, the feedback from the community is awesome.”

Women in the Belize Police Department have come a long way since their first recruitment in 1963. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams highlighted their progress over the decades, stating, “That goes to show again that we are not a department that sees ourselves as a man’s job or a man’s department but rather one that is diverse, and we try to promote people based on their skills and their job knowledge as opposed to their gender.”