Belize City Traffic Officers Now Empowered to Make Arrests!
Belize City’s enforcement officers now have more power to police the streets. Today, fifty-four officers were sworn in as Special Constables under the Belize Police Department, giving them greater authority to enforce the law at the municipal level. Officials say the move will also allow regular police officers to focus on more serious crimes. Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado describes it as part of a broader push to make policing more efficient and responsive.
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“As a department, we thought that it was important for us to develop the capacity of traffic warden across the country, including our transport officer, in order for them to develop the capacity to enforce the traffic regulation. This will allow us to be able to, as law enforcement, to enforce our, or concentrate on our crime prevention effort.”
Shane Williams
“Now, how will this change their authority?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“As special constable, they now have the power of arrest. Now, with power, with that power of arrest, they have … That come with great responsibility, hence the reason I fi- I found it necessary to caution them today when I did my remarks. I think they, they will help us significantly in enforcing the traffic regulation while we focus on our crime prevention effort.”
Shane Williams
“Is the department looking to m- use the same kind of system across the country in different municipality?”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“Yes. That’s the direction we want to go. We want to partner with all traffic warden, with all municipality, with the transport department, because we believe if we develop their capacity, we’ll be able to focus on our mandate as police officers.”
The Belize Police Department will host special constable courses for different municipalities across the country.
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