Police and Crime Stoppers Distribute School Bags in Belize City

Hundreds of school children from across the Belize District received school bags today through a collaboration between the police department and Crime Stoppers Belize. Students and their parents gathered at the Yarborough Basketball court this afternoon for the distribution, which was attended by Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado and Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa. ComPol Rosado says that he came up with the initiative and reached out for the partnership as a means of showing that the department supports education. 

Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police: “I believe that the partnership demonstrates the community support. It demonstrates that we are in support of the kids’ journey in completing their education. So it’s a symbolic gesture from Crime Stoppers and the Police Department to show you know what education is important and we’re here to assist them to complete that journey. We have our community policing officers from across eastern division Belize district who have been working with the communities and they were tasked to identify these kids today. So they have worked along with the schools, with the community and with the parents.”

Lauren Reardon-Smith, Chairperson of Crime Stoppers Belize, says that the initiative was made a success through collaboration with the private sector. 

Lauren Reardron Smith, Chairperson, Crime Stoppers Belize: “It’s three hundred students across the district of Belize from Hattieville all the way down to Belize City that are gonna benefit from this program. We had a lot of help from the community. So like Stationery House Office Supplies, Mr.Giovanni Alamina and his wife Gracie and Nando’s they donated 100 schoolbags and so we were able to collaborate with them and you know it came with not just the schoolbags but it came with a dozen blanks, rulers, erasers, folders like the works. So this will give the kids the absolute tool that they need to ensure that they have a successful school year.”

The estimated value of the donation is around $12,000.