2 weeks ago
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Today was the first day for stepped up patrols in areas of the old capital. The POLICE, BDF and Coast Guard were to add an additional layer of security to the city’s hot spots. Love News took its cameras to the streets but were unable to find the security forces supporting the police. All we found were two police officers on motorcycle preparing to patrol the St Martins De Porres area of the city. On the LOVE Morning Show today, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Defence, Francis Usher spoke of the role the BDF will play on the city’s streets.
Francis Usher, CEO, Ministry of Defence: “As it falls within the BDF’s mandate to support civil authorities and any other tasks that might arise from time to time as directed by the Governor General. Those are two of our mandates and so we are always ready, always willing. There are some proponents that say it’s a negative connotation to put the soldiers on the streets. But at end of the day, the job of the government, the job of the citizen is to protect other citizens. And so, we see it as a whole of government effort and we’re ready to do our part. We have given more training to our troops. We try to constantly be in a state of training and to have our troops be ready for as many possibilities. You can’t be ready for everything, but the guys are well trained, they’re prepared, and they’re ready to do their part.”
He cautioned citizens that the BDF will act in a supporting role to the police to make our streets safer.
Francis Usher, CEO, Ministry of Defence: “The Belize Defense Force typically does not have powers of arrest. There have been instances in the past where some soldiers have been sworn in as special constables, in which case for specific offenses they did have powers of arrest. In this case, no soldiers have been sworn in as special constables as yet. So as far as the arresting, charging, things like that, that would be spearheaded by the police department. We are there in a supporting role.”
English (US) ·