Belize Police Department Reports Decrease in Overall Crime Rates

The Belize Police Department is celebrating a decrease in crime across the board. While the year is yet to be over, the department anticipates a drop in this year’s murder and crime rate. The department believes that a combination of community policing efforts and the implementation of technology in crime-fighting has rendered successful results. Yesterday, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams spoke about the efforts and what has contributed to the decrease. 

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “We know that the work that the police has been doing along with the different partners is impacting tremendously on the crime situation in our country and we intend to enhance what we’re doing. There are several things that we’re currently working on. Pretty soon hopefully by the end of this year we’re going to launch the new camera system which is financed by the CABEI loan. The cameras have been installed across the city and they’re currently working on the fiber to connect them to the camera room or the surveillance room that is right here at Raccoon Street. So whenever that project is up and running we’re going to invite the media to look at it. That system is going to bring a lot to us in terms of technology. As you know the moto of our ministry is innovation and technology in the fight against crime and so we’re doing what we can to enhance that. We have also installed a number of cameras in different parts of the country, those areas that we know are problematic to us we have installed cameras there and we saw the crime rate went down tremendously in those areas.”

ComPol Williams also spoke about the department’s security expo that will be held this weekend.