By Belize Live News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño recently addressed concerns about the state of the Belize Police Department, acknowledging the challenges officers face while emphasizing ongoing efforts to improve the department’s service and culture.
Briceño commended Minister Kareem Musa’s efforts, highlighting the dismissal or suspension of over 100 officers for misconduct. He stressed the importance of training and counseling to support officers under stress, noting the difficult environment they often operate in.
“They are humans,” Briceño stated, emphasizing that officers face tremendous stress and sometimes react when provoked. He underscored the need for more training and a cultural shift within the department.
Addressing the recent death of Daniel Cal in police custody, Briceño called the incident “very unfortunate” and said that someone should have contacted the family. While preliminary reports suggest Cal’s death was related to alcohol and other medical issues, not police brutality, Briceño emphasized that any death in custody is unacceptable.
“One death of a prisoner is one too much,” he asserted. “It should not be tolerated.”
Briceño acknowledged that more work needs to be done to improve the police department and pledged continued efforts to enhance training, change the culture, and ensure accountability.
