Police Unveil New Anti-Gang Command Structure

Senior Superintendent Christopher Noble was assigned to oversee a new command structure within the Belize Police Department as the force moved to strengthen its response to gang activity and serious violent crime. Under the restructuring, Noble was placed in charge of three key units: the newly created Violence Prevention and Enforcement Team, known as VPAET; the Leadership Intelligence Unit, or LIU; and the Gang Intelligence, Investigation and Interdiction Unit, commonly called GI3.  The VPAET took over and expanded the work previously carried out by the Special Patrol Unit. The Eastern Division SPU, including the San Pedro SPU, was brought under the new VPAET structure.  Assistant Superintendent Rodney Jones was named commander of the unit, which was tasked with identifying, monitoring and targeting high-risk offenders through intelligence-led operations, proactive patrols, gang-disruption strategies and targeted enforcement actions.  Police said bringing VPAET, LIU and GI3 under a single command was intended to improve intelligence sharing, reduce duplication and allow officers to respond more quickly and effectively to gang-related violence and organized criminal activity.