Police Commissioner Responds to Viral Video and Domestic Violence

Two separate domestic violence cases involving police officers are putting the department under the spotlight tonight and the top cop is responding. One case exploded into public view after a disturbing video went viral online. The other is playing out in court, with an officer already formally charged with assault. Together, the allegations have reignited tough questions about how the police force handles abuse within its own ranks. Tonight, the Commissioner of Police is weighing in on what action is being taken, and whether the department is holding its officers to the same standards it enforces on the public.

 

Zenida Lanza, Reporting

The Belize Police Department is once again under public scrutiny after two of its own became the focus of domestic violence allegations. In the case of Constable Phillip Garbutt, charges were dropped, sparking public outrage after a video of the incident circulated widely on social media. In a separate case, GI3 officer Mercedes Chiac was arrested and charged with assaulting his wife and is now facing both court proceedings and internal disciplinary action.

 

Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police

“The Belize Police Department take any allegations of domestic violence against our officers with the utmost seriousness because we have recognized that when individuals in positions of trust [when] allegations of this sort are made against them, it not only harm the victim, but it also erode the community trust on the police department. Hence the reason we have always taken decisive action both criminally and internally against those individuals.”

 

Beyond those specific cases, questions are also being raised about what the department is doing to get ahead of the problem. Opposition Senator Sheena Pitts recently called for regular psychological assessments for officers, given the pressures of policing. But the Commissioner says support systems are already in place.

 

Richard Rosado

“I’m happy to say that the government of Belize have instituted what we refer to as the Lotus Center. We also have a counselor who provide the necessary support to our police officers when signs of issues of these sort arise. So we are providing the necessary support.  So there’s nothing new that the opposition is offering. I would want to challenge them to provide us with some tangible, concrete solution and we will embrace it.”

 

Zenida Lanza

”So is it only when something arises that they do go to a counselor?”

 

Richard Rosado

“We have a system in place, an early warning system in place. And whenever certain things are discovered, they are placed either through our Lotus Center or through our counselor.”

 

Another challenge in domestic violence cases is when victims withdraw their statements, often leaving prosecutors with little to work with. We asked the Commissioner whether Belize could move toward limiting that option.

 

Richard Rosado

“In terms of adults without a complainant, it’s challenging, because we need a complainant. But in some cases what we have done, we have recorded statements in the presence of a JP, so that it’ll be admissible in court. So we do have an avenue in how to address that. In terms of minors, there’s a protocol in place along with human development and the magistracy.”

 

Police hope to reinstate charges against Phillip Garbutt, while Mercedes Chiac has been interdicted and now faces internal discipline as his case heads to court. But for many members of the public, the real issue isn’t the process, it’s how slowly the department moves when its own officers are accused. Reporting for News Five, I am Zenida Lanza.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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