Election Season Security: Belize Police Mobilize Amid Political Tensions and Gang Violence

As the election season intensifies, the Belize Police Department is preparing to deploy teams to various polling areas to ensure security and order. With ongoing political tensions and a rise in gang-related violence, police forces are on high alert to address potential threats. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams emphasized that the department is collaborating closely with the Elections and Boundaries Commission to maintain a safe and fair electoral process.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “We work in tandem with the Elections and Boundaries Commission. They set the rules at the polling stations and we’re just there to enforce or to act in support of them and that is going to be how we are going to police this election as we have done. Of course we do have that in mind to look at the different factions of the UDP and what they’re going to bring not just from the UDP but we also have the gang issues in certain areas of Belize City that we also have to make sure that we are prepared to police. We don’t want that people go to polling stations to vote and then they become victims of crime so we are looking at the entire dynamics to make sure that everybody who wants to go out and vote can do so in a safe environment.”

The general elections are slated for March 12.