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| :: Social Services : Community Policing | ||||||||||
| Community Policing l Legal Aid l National AIDS Commission | ||||||||||
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The Police and Community Working in Partnership for a Safer Belize. Community Policing is a philosophy aimed at forgoing greater partnership between the Community and the Police. Its objective is to proactively minimize the risk of Crimes, through Contact, Communication, and educational programs, with a view of promoting peace and tranquility within the Community. Our officers and civilian staff acting with professionalism, extending courtesy, respect and a greeting to members of the public, will also help to meet the objective. Community Policing was introduced into the Belize Police Department in the year 1991 and has augmented our traditional policing. With the increase of crimes and more sophisticated methods in committing crimes, the police have seen the dire need of the citizenry’s participation in the prevention and detection of crimes. Through this new method of policing, this Department has seen increase involvement by the citizens including the business community with the police in the fight against crimes and support for the police. More now, than ever before Formation Commanders are very much involved in their communities and have been implementing new initiatives in their area of responsibility, which involves members of the public along with the police. One new initiative which needs mentioning is the Yabra Citizens Committee which was established in the Yabra Area, south side of Belize City, and has been impacting on that community. Assistant Commissioner of Police Crispin Jefferies Officer in Charge Eastern Division and Ms. Elizabeth Longsworth of the Yabra Area are the Motorola Caribbean Community Policing Awardees for 2006. The Belize Police Department congratulates both of them. They were awarded in Aruba in June, 2006. I take this opportunity to thank members of the community including the business community for their continued support, and members/staff of this Department who are making a difference for Community Policing to be the success it is. Commander Community Policing is responsible to the Commissioner of Police for all aspect of Community Policing nationally. The desk for this officer operates from Police Headquarters in Belmopan, however the duties and responsibilities of this officer takes the Commander around the country from time to time. The system of holistic community policing provides better police services, more effective and efficient police response to crimes and disorder incidents. It also provides a closer partnership with the Community in crime prevention and resolving local concern and problems. This leads to enhanced safety and security of the Community which is the most important components in Community Policing. The wider concept involves our Neighbourhood Police booths and precincts where there is always a police officer/officers in various communities. It also includes in a major way all our frontline officers such as those on foot patrols, bicycles, motorcycles, mobile patrols, our traffic officers and our officers at check points. For community policing to work effectively it involve some change in approach by some police officers to the public, courtesy, professionalism, respect and a greeting to members of the public. Also checking with business owners, security guards, home visits whilst on beat patrols and school visits. All these put together makes a difference in community policing. The Belize Police Department has been working very hard with its officers and the changes have been occurring. Some of the Community Policing initiatives are as follows: 1. Neighbour Hood Watch Neighbour Hood Watch is a simple, uncomplicated program uniting citizens at the Community level to provide citizens with the capacity to help reduce local opportunities for crimes. The decisions to set up a Neighbourhood Watch is usually that of the residents of the Community. A member of the Police Department from the police station serving the community acts as the main liaison officer for the Neighbourhood Watches. Neighbourhood Watch groups have had many successes in their area, and if you are interested to get one started in your area, please contact the Officer Commanding in your District or the local Zone Beat liaison Officer. Listed below are the Neighbourhood Watch groups which are in existence.
2. Police Crime Prevention Educational Program (PCPEP)
Police officers especially the Zone Beat Liaison Officers (ZBLO’s) do educational presentation in Pre-schools, Primary, and High Schools, even at Tertiary level institutions and the University. A wide range of topics are presented such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, handling stolen goods, theft, burglary, robbery etc. 3. Police First Offenders Program
This program is mainly aimed at Primary and High School students. 4. Zone Beat Liaison Officers Program (ZBLO)
The Operational Objectives are:- To identify and become intimately conversant with the following.
Problems identified by the ZBLO’s are addressed to the various agencies concerned. These officers’ works very closely with the schools and parents in addressing problems arising at the school from theft, fighting, drugs, firearms etc. A Counselor is also attached to this unit in Belize City. The office is headed by an Inspector. In the Districts the ZBLO’s work under the command of the Formation Commander. 5. Police Citizen Liaison Committees The objective is to set up a Committee of local police and members of the community to come together regularly to identify and discuss local problems and concerns. Develop better police and community relations, and to find ways of how the police and the community can work in partnership to solve the problems identified. Improve the image of the Police Department and making their community safe. The Police Citizen Liaison Committees are now operating at the following District.
6. Citizen on Patrol (COPS)
The function of the Citizens on Patrol is to observe and report suspicious circumstances and criminal violations within their assigned area of responsibility. A Citizen on Patrol is a person appointed by the Commissioner of Police who has met the designated application, background and training requirement prescribed for the position. Citizen on Patrol personnel have No Law Enforcement Authority or Powers. This program was first launched in Orange Walk. Since then this program is now working in:
It is our desire to have this program working in every main Town and some other Communities where it is needed. Requirements/Selections/Background
7. Do The Right Thing
The “Do The Right Thing” program benefits the Community by reinforcing socially desirable behaviour among our youths. It will also serve as a means of us demonstrating that “good kids” are news worthy and will go a long way in fostering a positive relations between the Belize Police Department, Youths and the Community. Rewards Recognize and reward nominated studies from each district on a monthly basis for their positive accomplishments, behavioral and good deeds. Every nominee will receive a DTRT T-Shirt, personalized certificate and a letter from the Commissioner of Police. Top Winners will be selected and recognized annually at a ceremony and will receive prizes and awards. They will also be publicly recognized on Television and in the local newspapers. The overall top student will receive a scholarship to a tertiary institution. How Does It Work Each high school in each district has the opportunity to select a student each month and submit to the Police Commander. At the district level each Commanders have a board with members of the Police and the Community who meets each month and select one student out of those submitted as the overall winner for the month from each district. The profiles on those monthly winners are then submitted to the Commander Community Policing in Belmopan where they are placed on a file and at the end of the school year, this Commander chairs a board with members of the Community and other staff where the final winners including the overall winner is selected. The first award ceremony was held during the summer break at the end of the school year 2006 at Old Belize Historical and Cultural Center, where the final winners including the top winners were awarded their prizes and all other monthly winners present were recognized. Requirements for Selection A student must demonstrate a combination of any eight (8) of following criteria in order to be considered as a potential candidate.
Those final winners are: 1. Ms. Ramona Garcia - Independence High School – First Place 8. Special Constables Program The voluntary special constable program is a program which has been instituted in the Belize Police Department, with the aim of having trained members of the community who are sworn individuals with powers of arrest, to work closely with police officers in various communities. The requirements are similar to that of the Citizen on Patrol, but the training is for two weeks. Areas where this has been working are as follows:
9. Belize Police Youth Cadet Corp. There are over six hundred members of the Police Youth Cadet Corp nationally which also include youths from some of the villages in the districts. Any youth ranging from 8 to 17 years can become a member. The Police Youth cadet Corp program is aimed at assisting our youths to become more disciplined. Some activities which they participate in are as follows:
Any youth that is interested in becoming a member of the Police Youth cadet Corp can contact the Zone Beat Liaison Officers, Commanders in the Districts or the Community Policing Office located on Yabra Road, Belize City. Organogram – Community Policing
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The Police Crime Prevention Educational Program commenced in our schools nationally in 1991. It is aimed at provide students with knowledge of the law, police procedures and other matters that are affecting our young people which is related to discipline, absenteeism, behavioral problems etc, and police career. 
The program also commenced in 1991 and is aimed at assisting our students who have been found committing himself/herself for a violation against our laws for the first time to get rehabilitated by doing punishment at the school instead of being arrested and taken to court by the police. However, this is not general, as it depends on what offence or crime has been committed, if it is a serious matter, that student may not have the opportunity to do the punishment set by the school, and secondly if the complainants who is a member of the public, have a right to make a choice whether the accused should be taken to court or agreeing for the student to do punishment at school.
The concept of the Zone Beat Liaison Officers Program is to enhance and improve Community Relations and Law Enforcement through proactive policing.
The Citizen on Patrol program was introduced into the Belize Police Department in November of 2005.
Implemented within the High Schools nationally by the Belize Police Department in February 2006.
The Belize Police Youth Cadet Corp was established in 1994. The first launching was done in Belize City with only male youths. It was later established in every District and included females.