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Police say about 60 people have been identified for possible detention under the State of Public Emergency. While Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado disclosed that figure during yesterday’s emergency press briefing, today ACP Bart Jones spoke with Love News to further explain how those decisions are being made and to address concerns from the public. During Sunday’s emergency press briefing, Commissioner of Police Dr. Richard Rosado said police had identified about 60 people for possible detention under the State of Public Emergency. Today, ACP Bart Jones told Love News those individuals were identified through intelligence gathering and ongoing investigations. He stressed that police are not carrying out random arrests. Instead, each case is reviewed based on information collected by investigators.
Bart Jones, Deputy Police Commissioner: “As you would have heard yesterday in the press conference, the minister reported that the enactment of the state of emergency for certain parts of Belize City, Belize District and for certain parts of the Cayo District. In respect to the coyote district those areas are confined to Unitedville and Cotton Tree. So we saw it prudent to sensitize the media and the public as to what may be expected going forward in respect to the SOE. In respect to that, and having regards to the judgments that would have been the Court have made in respect to this. So we’ve discussed with the Attorney General’s Ministry and formulated strict protocols that are being followed in respect to the this SOE. That includes ensuring that proper documentation, ensuring that there is oversight, additional oversight because there always was in respect to persons who are detained and to ensure that more specifically that these persons, when persons are in fact detained beyond the normal forty eight hours that they are in fact connected to specific investigations. And so as you said, we have learned from some of what the courts would have said in respect to the state of emergency.”
Jones says the State of Public Emergency is focused on disrupting gang activity and preventing further retaliatory violence. He says the goal is to prevent further loss of life while investigators continue building cases against those believed to be involved in violent crime.
Bart Jones, Deputy Police Commissioner: “The state of emergency while it is a very restrictive and some may say draconian measure it certainly for the police it’s certainly not a carte blanche in terms of violation of rights and so we still have to operate within the confines of the law. So there will be no outside of what the provisions allows us to do. In terms of the general public your business as usual you can go about your respective business although those who live within the restricted areas as I said in terms of the detention it will be on those where we have reasonable suspicion on person to be involved in the murders, the shootings, the violence, the robberies and so on.”
Police have not disclosed how many people have been detained so far under the emergency powers but say operations will continue in the areas covered by the State of Public Emergency./
English (US) ·