Caye Caulker Village Council Demands Action over Police Brutality Concerns

Following Monday’s murder on the island, the Caye Caulker Village Council issued a press release, publicly condemning, what they have coined as an, quote, “escalating violence and abuse of authority by police officers on the island, particularly towards young men.”  End of quote. In a strongly worded release, the Council pointed to a troubling pattern of officers assaulting citizens with little to no accountability, recalling a similar incident ten years ago that ended in the death of a local youth. The Council emphasized that violence should not be met with violence and urged that policing must focus on de-escalation and community protection. Citing multiple recent complaints from residents about officer misconduct, the Council stated that many current officers behave no differently than “bullies, gang members, and thugs,” and have discredited the uniform. The council has called on judicial and ministerial authorities to ensure justice is served without delay, warning that any failure to act would be a miscarriage of justice.