The island of Caye Caulker remains shaken and searching for answers following the tragic death of nineteen-year-old Kevin De Paz. What began as a late-night brawl has now escalated into a community-wide uproar, one that involves two off-duty police officers and a young man who never made it home. Police say the officers stepped in to stop an attack on another individual, but the situation quickly spiraled when knives were drawn. De Paz was fatally stabbed during the altercation, and now, emotions are running high. In the aftermath, some officers have taken to social media, expressing fear and frustrations, saying they’re hesitant to intervene in off-duty incidents due to public backlash and personal risk. So, what exactly is the protocol when an off-duty officer witnesses a crime? We put that question to the Commissioner of Police, Doctor Richard Rosado.
Britney Gordon
“And we’ve seen another officer come forward and state that in situations like these, when an officer is off duty and out of uniform, they feel hesitant to get involved in certain situations because of the potential backlash that comes with them intervening. Do you think that officers have a responsibility to intervene in situations like these when they’re off duty? Is it not their mandate to serve and protect at all times?”
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“In accordance with the police act chapter 138 of Belize, all police officers, whether on active duty or not, are deemed to be on duty. So if an act is being committed in their view, by law, they must act.”