Police Information System Restored

The Belize Police Department’s Crime Information Management System (CIMS) is now fully operational after nearly two months of limited access.

Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, CEO of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise, told News 5 that the system experienced technical difficulties after an outstanding annual software fee was paid.

Bennett confirmed that a payment of $186,000 BZD was made.

“What is happening now, the technicians are now working to get the system back up and operational to 100%,” he said.

According to Bennett, the police department’s work was not compromised. He explained that “over the past couple months, when the system has been reduced in its capacity, the Belize Police Department was still able to access the information… It just took a little longer in terms of its process in accessing those information. It wasn’t a case where the police department was operating blindly.”

He explained that “the different police stations would not have direct access to the system,” which meant they had to rely more on IT personnel to retrieve data.