By Belize Live News Staff: Julius Espat has been interim Minister of Home Affairs since June 22, and Commissioner of Police Richard Rosado says the change has been useful.
Speaking to 7 News, Rosado said a new minister brings a new lens.
“With any other minister, they come with different perspectives and their perspectives challenge our assumption of how we do policing,” he said.
That challenge, in his view, is productive. It pushes the department to rethink strategies rather than settle into routine.
On Espat’s approach specifically, Rosado described it as balanced, pairing enforcement with targeted social intervention.
“If we have a balanced approach, it will not only suppress crime today, but it will prevent crime from happening tomorrow,” he said.
That framing matters. Belize has spent years debating whether the answer to crime is more police or more opportunity, and the Commissioner is saying the department is working on both fronts.
Is a balanced approach what Belize needs right now?
