Police Corporal Pulled Off Duty in Misconduct, Locs Controversy

A police corporal from Belize City has been sidelined pending a misconduct probe, after the Commissioner of Police ordered Corporal Kenrick Bol suspended with full pay while investigators dig into several allegations tied to disciplinary breaches inside the department. In a letter dated February thirteenth, the Standards and Accountability Branch informed Bol that all police powers are on hold as the inquiry proceeds, citing provisions that allow the ComPol to remove any officer found negligent or unfit for duty. The suspension, stamped and signed by Deputy Commissioner Bart Jones, signals a serious internal review as the department pushes for higher accountability within its ranks. Incidentally, Bol’s recent refusal to cut his dreadlocks, has stirred public debate as he cites his Rastafarian faith as the reason. However, Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado stated that the department takes policy compliance seriously and had referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Ministry for advice. We reached out to Bol’s attorney, Leslie Mendez, who told News Five quote, “We have sent a Pre-action letter to the Belize Police Department and the AG stating our position that the request for Officer Bol to remove his locs is unconstitutional. We also note that the refusal to appoint Officer Bol to the Executive of the Police Association also lacks legal justification. Today, we asked for further details of the reason for his suspension. We are awaiting their response.”  End quote.