By Belize Live News Staff: Belize has taken another step toward strengthening its capacity to investigate gun-related crimes. Several Belizean officers and forensic technicians have completed a Shooting Incident Reconstruction Course organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).
The five-day training, held in Belmopan City from October 27 to 31, was funded by the Government of the United States and guided by UNLIREC technical advisors Frank Grosspietsch and Jason Francis.
According to Jason Francis, UNLIREC’s Senior Policy Advisor, the course was designed to help law enforcement officials and forensic professionals reconstruct shooting incidents with precision and confidence.
“This course revolves around reconstructing shooting crime scenes,” Francis said. “We help investigators determine where the shooter may have stood, where the firearms were pointed, and the impact of the bullets or cartridge cases.”
Nine technicians from the National Forensic Science Service, officers from the Belize Police Department, and a representative from the Belize Defence Force participated in the program. They received hands-on training in firearm handling, evidence preservation, bullet trajectory analysis, and crime scene photography.
The training also included simulation exercises at a live firing range, allowing participants to practice reconstructing real-world shooting scenarios. Additionally, they learned chemical testing methods such as the sodium rhodizonate and dithiooxamide tests for detecting metal residues and examined the applications of gunshot residue (GSR) analysis.
Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, Hon. Kareem Musa, commended the initiative, thanking the U.S. Embassy and UNLIREC for their support. “Gun violence has plagued us for decades,” Musa said. “This training will help our professionals determine the angle and position of fired weapons and strengthen investigations.”
Certificates of completion were presented to participants during a ceremony attended by Deputy Commissioner of Police Bart Jones and Assistant Superintendent Franzine Solano, who both praised the collaboration between national and international partners.
The course is part of UNLIREC’s Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, an ongoing regional effort to curb illicit arms trafficking and strengthen forensic and investigative standards.
