AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nation Laws & Taxes Crispin Jefferies is no longer Police Commissioner

Breaking news! PlusTV has been reliably informed that there have been changes at the top of the Police high command. Rumors have been circulating that Crispin Jefferies is no longer the Commissioner of Police for the country of Belize. We have been able to confirm that a new interim Commissioner of Police is to be announced shortly.

The End Of An Era: Jeffries No Longer Top Cop

Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries has two days left in the top cop position; he will leave office on Thursday December first, 2011.

This was confirmed to us today by Minister of Police and Public Safety, Doug Singh. He explained that Jeffries contract is being terminated effective first December. But, it's not like he's being fired; he is being released from his contract so he can take up a new contract with an unspecified government ministry, which wants his service. Singh would not tell us what Ministry it is as it appears that agreement is still being finalized.

So, on Thursday, Acting Deputy Commissioner, David Henderson will take over the post of Commissioner, also in an acting capacity. Henderson will hold over for what's supposed to be a few months until a new foreign commissioner takes over. Yes, though we haven't heard about it for some time, that plan is still live; Singh confirmed that there is a short list of five persons, which is now on final review.

Singh says that depending on which of the five is approved a new Compol could - and we stress the conditionality of that - could be in place by earliest, the end of February.

Singh confirmed that all the applicants for the post are foreign.

And, so, the reign of Crispin Jeffries which began on April 30, 2009 ends at 30 months. He was initially contracted for one year, and got two contract renewals - making it clear that he had the confidence of his employers, the Government of Belize. We can't say that any good boss is or should ever be popular or universally - liked, but it seems enough to say that Jeffries' punitive personnel decisions and chronic favoritism, had worn thin in a department where many tell us that morale is down because of those tactics. Whatever the case, he leaves just as he has elevated many of those so called favorites in a sweeping round of promotions.

From our perspective, we simply know that he had ceased being available or accountable to the press - and was permitted to be that way by his political bosses. The last time Jeffries had a press conference was in September of 2010; since then we only managed to steal one interview with him.

Later on, we'll take a look at some of his greatest hits, and misses.

Channel 7

One Last Goodbye For Ground Commander Jeff

As we reported at the top of the newscast, Commissioner of Police, Crispin Jeffries is leaving the job on Wednesday. Here at 7news, we've always had a special relationship with Jeffries - particularly when he was commander of operations during the tumult of 2005.

Many times, it may have seemed like we were bitter enemies, but we were merely actors: we played our part and so did he - and he often did so brilliantly.

Perhaps understandably, in his incarnation as top cop, he receded from the camera's glare, and retreated from the frontline, so much so that we kind of forgot how much fun he was! And so, it's worthwhile to look back - we promise for the last time, at his mad and manic days on the frontline. To do so we reprise a sort of video essay we first put together in 2009:...

Jules Vasquez Reporting,
There are few images on TV so immediate, so shocking that they will make whoever's watching shake their heads in disbelief. And Crispin Jeffries has had more of those moments than anyone

[Crispin Jeffries in scuffle with female student and with workers in front BTL Compound.]

And while those moments will never be forgotten - and videotape will make sure of that - look beyond the heat and drama, to a single frame....and in a picture, anarchy can seem almost pacific, the players stripped of their momentum and charge, the wild hysteria of the moment flattened into a single frozen image, all the emotion and action compressed into a single frame.
And strip that frame of context and circumstance and you see in these images, a performer. And if you don't believe that just watch the way Commander Jeffries stepped down the National Assembly stairs, it was more than an offensive, it was a solo, an operatic aria upon a stage of anarchy. In these moments, Jeffries is unruffled, almost regal, never emotional, the air of a thespian, and the presence of a star, an entertainer on a stage set by the media, watched by the masses.

Jeffries to Jules Vasquez: "put right in the face Jules, right in the face. You want to see it? Thank you goodbye."

After all, what does the media thrive on? Action. And Jeffries gave it to us, in heaping servings

Jeffries to Jules Vasquez: "Just go around."
Jules Vasquez to Jeffries: "That is unacceptable and I will not accept that."

So, we can forgive the cocky mis-projections whether in word.

Crispin Jeffries: "Watch how we will clear this easy."

So easy that three hours later it ended up in this. Like he said, a mis-pronouncement but there are about to be mis-projections as in this case when tear gas came wafting back into the House meeting. Through it all Jeffries - so often the subject of the crowd's ire - never blinked, never became outwardly angry, well maybe just once, very famously so.

[Jeffries removing media from City Center on election night 2006.]

But then, don't we all get emotional:

Jules Vasquez,
"He is walking away and the little switch trips. And I have to say that because look at this, he comes towards our cameraman, we aren't even advancing. Alex Ellis our cameraman was standing still and Mr. Jeffries goes to him and simply arrests him for no reason. The man has the camera on his shoulder. This is a muzzling of the press. This is the systematic lunacy that Crispin Jeffries brings."

At the time I was angry because he arrested camera-man Alex Ellis for nothing at all really, but I see it now as just one more performance - things were starting to drag, he perked it up - not a lapse of reason, but a slowdown in the action, and we were brought into the show to liven things up, brought in to share the light and heat of center stage. But the point is we never took it personally, we were doing our job and he was doing his - both of us probably with too much zeal - and that it provided some of the best television theater ever was incidental....or was it central? Maybe we'll never know.

So for now ground control to Commander Jeffries, we will miss you on the frontline, through the scrum of batons, the crush and clatter of stones and shields, the haze of pepper spray, the canisters of tear gas...you may be commissioner now, but on those days of anger and agitation, you were the boss, brutal, calm and collected.

Jeffries will now reportedly take up a Senior Position at the Ministry of Transport.

Channel 7

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ComPol Jeffries bows out on December 1

Minister of Police, Douglas Singh, confirmed to Amandala tonight that effective Thursday, December 1, 2011, the current Commissioner of the Belize Police Department, Crispin Jeffries, will be retired.

The move to select a replacement is now at the short-list stage. Of the unknown number of international applicants for this position, the list is down to about five or six finalists.

There weren't any female applicants; the finalists include citizens of the Netherlands, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

In the meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP David Henderson, will be in charge of the department.

Singh also told us that an exact date for the installment of the new commissioner has not been set, and that the finalists for the post have all conveyed different availability times. Singh says the date when a new commissioner will take office could be as late as March 2012.

Jeffries has been the commissioner since August 30, 2009. His "reign" has been marked with controversy and despite criticism by the community about different decisions made by him, one thing remained the same - Jeffries was a well respected and even intimidating figure in society.

Amandala

Seems like a good thing.

End of an Era: Compol Jeffries retires from Police Department

The Police Department has lost an officer with thirty-eight years of experience under his belt. Commissioner of Police Crispin Jeffries retired today at the end of the workday. Jeffries has been applauded and criticized for being a hands on commissioner. He was a quintessential fixture on the frontlines of every major riot, protest, and the occasional domestic disturbance. Some of his most viewed public appearances include pepper sprayed strikes at the base of the House of Representatives in the Capital. But by all appearances he was a stiff, stern, no-nonsense cop who literally commanded the respect of his peers. Jeffries declined to speak to his favorite critic, the media today. However, he shared a few words on the Police Link Up Show, which airs on LOVE TV. News Five obtained a clip of Jeffries' farewell, and if you look very closely, you may just see what appears to be a teary eye when Assistant Commissioner Elodio Aragon lauded him for his more than thirty years of service.

Crispin Jeffries, Retired

"I know that I leave with the organization moving in the right direction and in the right hands. Some of the things people think that I am offended by or annoyed by-they'd be surprised to know what happens when we do the reflections on these issues. But it is fun, it is dangerous and it is serious. And I think that some of the things I did; they were risky but I enjoyed it. I took the chance when I needed to take the chance. And I've learnt that if you don't take the chance, you'll never learn. And I took the chance and I did it my way. I am not asking anybody to do it that way, but that was my way. I lost and I've gained, but I had a chance. I don't like to I don't like to discuss the regrets publicly, but there are regrets. When I look at where I came from and where I am today, I'm thankful. My regrets-had I done things differently, I'd be mentally satisfied that I could not have done better-that I was doing better. But I did my best."

Asst. Commissioner Elodio Aragon, Officer Commanding Eastern Division

"Commissioner, I think your years of service here in the Police Department; I think every police officer who knows you knows what you stand for. I think that the work you've put out there, we must be appreciative of that because I know that coming into the job, I met you. They always say, you da Papa Jeff because you have had your experiences, willing to assist, share your knowledge-and I that has gone a long way. And I think your service to this nation, thirty-eight years, is not a small feat. It takes a lot for you to be a police officer to take out way down to retirement. As a young senior officer in this police department, you have the commitment, the dedication and I tend to look to follow in those footsteps because definitely this country, the police department needs good leaders if we are going to move this department forward."

Crispin Jeffries

"Mr. Aragon thanks. The show is ended, but it's just to say to Belizeans, who from time to time have supported me, my greatest critic, the media; thank you. Goodnight."

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Crispin Jeffries offers advice to decision-makers

It may be a farewell but it's not quite a goodbye for Jeffries. There are reports that he will take a post at the Ministry of Transport. Before winding up his thoughts during the Police Link Up show, Jeffries offered some advice and reflection on issues such as promotional rules that need to be resolved.

Crispin Jeffries, Retired

"I am at a point where I look back and try to understand why we are where we are. I keep saying on different occasions that there are certain things that were left out. And that status quo was allowed to erode even further and it is contained in our laws. And a wakeup call came just after we changed minister and we had completed the promotional exams. And it took us into some serious, serious soul searching and self analysis. And we began to realize the problem is greater than we thought, but the problem is also deep seated in a failure in the way we operated for too long when in fact there was systems in place that we allowed ourselves to set aside because we wanted to do things differently. And today when we look back, I think that none of the management audit that we've done has taken into consideration that piece of legislation that is called the Promotional Rules. It has contained in it a wealth of what goes in with ethical and professional standards and self discipline. I am certain that today we are about to get the report of yet another consultant, but unless consultants come into Belize and look at those things and speak to the powers that be, the government, to do something seriously about those issues then we might be going; as some of my now supervisors and managers say, still spinning wheels. So we need to take a serious look at it."

So the next time you see Jeffries, he'll be wearing the Ministry of Transport's hat.

Channel 5

Jeffries Is New Commissioner Of....Transport?

Crispin Jeffries will be the new Commissioner...not of police, but of Transport. Minister of Transport Melvin Hulse today confirmed to us that Jeffries will be hired as a contract officer to fill that post taking the place of Gareth Murrillo.

Murrillo now moves on, reportedly to become the New Registrar of Cooperatives.

Channel 7