Police Maintain Mediation Efforts with Gang Members After Extended SOE

Police say they have been working with the alleged gang members recently held under the State of Emergency (SOE) to further keep the peace. The SOE was called on June 24 for areas in Belize City and the Cayo District and was extended to the end of September. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says that he and members of the police senior command have been in constant contact with the men and that regular mediation sessions have been held since.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Let’s not compare mangoes and apples. The SOE was targeting people in Belize City, Roaring Creek, Camalote. The SOE did not extend to the rural areas. So we cannot bring the SOE into this equation. It’s a total different situation. Yes, I wish that we could put an SOE on their backside so that they get the sense but that is something yet for discussion. The people who are under SOE, who recently came out of prison, we are not getting anything from them. If a matter of fact, I can say to you that there is a lot that we are doing to make sure that we remain in constant communication with them. Brother Nuri is doing weekly two meetings with them, meeting with them on a weekly basis to make sure that if they have any issues, any concerns, that they have a medium by which they can express themselves. Some of them, they would message me, they would call me, they have issues, and we see how we can resolve it. Mr. Grinage might get called, Mr. Gamboa might get called, so different one of us do have communication with them and we try to use that as a means of making sure that we listen to their concerns and see how we could address it before it reaches a stage where people get shot or killed.”

Around 150 men were detained under the provisions of the SOE.