Is This The End of the Road for ComPol Rosado?

After rising through the ranks of the Belize Police Department through years of service, the fate of Commissioner of Police, Doctor Richard Rosado, now hangs in the balance. Rosado’s downfalls follow the abduction of one of Belize’s most controversial personalities, Joseph Budna. After he was taken, speculations of police involvement began mounting. Well, those rumors are now confirmed and so the Prime Minister directed that Doctor Rosado be placed on forty-five days leave of absence, while police officer Barrington Flowers has been placed on interdiction. And, as the story develops, a new question has surfaced, is this the end of the road for ComPol Rosado? News Five’s Paul Lopez Reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Prime Minister John Briceño has shaken up the top ranks of law enforcement. Just four months after taking the reins, Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado has been sent on leave. This comes after a troubling twist in the Joseph Budna abduction case out of Orange Walk. The Prime Minister says the investigative report he received over the weekend was, quote, unsatisfactory. And here’s why that matters, police officers themselves are implicated in Budna’s abduction and his handover to Guatemalan authorities. It’s a stunning turn for Dr. Rosado, who, back in April at his swearing-in, spoke passionately about restoring trust in the department. Tonight, that vision faces its biggest test yet.

 

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“Today as I stand before you to accept the immense responsibility of leading the Belize Police Department, I do so with the profound sense of duty and optimism. I see a future where our police department is not just an institution of law enforcement, but a beacon of trust, innovation and accountability.”

 

Just four months in, trust in the top cop has collapsed and Dr. Richard Rosado could go down as Belize’s shortest-serving Commissioner of Police. Prime Minister Briceño’s move to send him on forty-five days’ leave is unprecedented. No commissioner has ever been sidelined like this. The reason? An incomplete report on the Budna case and confirmation that police officers were involved, despite Rosado’s earlier denial.

 

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police (File: Aug 25^th, 2025)

“Let me be unequivocally clear, the police department was not involved in the apprehension or the alleged extradition of Mr. Budna. Certain serious allegations were made and from our initial investigation, was being alleged was not conducted by our police officers or was not sanctioned by the senior command of the police department.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Do you believe that Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado lied when he said no police officers were involved in this incident?”

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs (File: Sep 6^th, 2025)

“So, I heard that remark and like the media it raised some question for me and so I had called the commissioner upon seeing that in the press briefing and I said, commissioner how can you be so sure that the individuals are not police officer, he said minister what I am saying is that the Belize Police Department is not a part of that. Whether those individuals in casual outfits are police officers, he cannot say, because they would be on a frolic of their own. He is saying from the high command of the police, this is something not orchestrated by the police. So that is what he meant.”

 

One police officer has been identified as a suspect in the kidnapping of Joseph Budna. He is Barrington Flowers. Prime Minister Briceno has ordered that he be placed on interdiction. Tonight, the fate of Doctor Richard Rosado hangs in the balance.

 

Kareem Musa

“There is nothing to suggest the ComPol is in on this and that he is not taking the right action as it come to investigate this. You have to look at all the facts of the case and in my mind what is proof positive is the fact that a police officer, corporal, came on the scene from that footage, which I have to assume is a legitimate footage, and then was directed by those individual to leave, that to me sends the message that we need to have an independent investigation into this.”

 

But there will be no independent investigation. Deputy Commissioner of Police Suzette Anderson has been charged with the investigation. He climbed to the very top of law enforcement after years of hard work and dedication. But now, could Dr. Richard Rosado end up being Belize’s shortest-serving Commissioner of Police? Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.