Belize Police Ramp Up Human Rights and Mental Health Training for Officers

More than 400 police officers have received human rights training, with more scheduled for this year, according to the Belize Police Department. Officers are preparing to embark on a human-rights-centered mental health training next month, followed by defensive tactics training, which takes the same approach. Apart from upholding the human rights of the general public, the trainings will also take special focus on police officers’ interactions with persons suffering from mental illness. Deputy Commissioner of Police Bart Jones explained that the department embarked on its increased human rights focus a few years ago, after repeated complaints about the level of force used by officers in the field. 

The United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (USINL) facilitated the training of the officers who will now be delivering the material to their peers.