on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker



Earlier this year BTB (Belize Tourism Board) along with the Ministry of Tourism hosted meetings in both San Pedro and Caye Caulker. At these meetings, presentations on the work being carried out by the Sustainable Tourism Project as well as the Tourism Police Units (TPU) were held, and concerns were noted as well.

In San Pedro, community members expressed two main concerns, one regarding the need to equip the TPU officers with adequate resources for them to be able to efficiently perform their duties, and the other, constant reports of corruption within the TPU. Ambergris Caye's sister island Caye Caulker also expressed similar concerns regarding the TPU.

Consequent to those meetings and concerns, the Minister and his team planned and implemented key solutions that they hope will alleviate the problems encountered by both islands as well as provide adequate security and safety to residents and visitors as well.

On Wednesday August 24th, community meetings were held in both San Pedro and Caye Caulker to present the improvements to be made within the TPU. Both meetings were well attended by concerned community members as well as representatives of the BTB, Ministry of Tourism, police, TPU, local government and members of the press.

Click for the rest of the story and more photos in the San Pedro Sun

I've recently seen Tourist Police walking the beach up our way, and they have signed into the duty book at Indigo too.
Met the new officer in charge and she seems very dedicated, no-nonsense.

New Tourism Police Assigned to La Isla Bonita

Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. Presents New and Improved Tourism Police Unit - Our beautiful island of San Pedro is steadily growing and with a population of about 18,000 residents and thousands tourists visiting our beautiful shores, safety for all is a must. With this in mind Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, Hon. Manuel Heredia along with the San Pedro Town Council proudly presented a team of new and improved Tourism Police for La Isla Bonita on Wednesday, August 24, 2011.

Subsequent to the community meetings held earlier this year on the island, the Minister and his team, after hearing the concerns expressed by members of the community regarding the Tourism Police Unit, planned and implemented key solutions to the disquiets expressed.

The five original Tourism Police that were stationed in the San Pedro Police Department have been re-assigned to other destinations and are being replaced with a team of ten Tourism Police including Corporal Sharmane Young who is in charge of both the San Pedro TPU and Caye Caulker TPU.

These new officers are being provided with a golf cart, two bicycles and a refurbished alterain vehicle (ATV). They also have their own headquarters in the Escalante subdivision and with their addition to the San Pedro Police Department the police sub-station in North Ambergris Caye is now operational.

The Tourism Police will have morning and evening shifts and there will be an increase of foot patrols on the beach. The Tourism Police now boast a new uniform, white shirt with black pants. This change was done so tourists can easily distinguish a tourism police and go to them for any assistance required. In Mexico and Central America, Tourism Police are easily identified because of their white and black uniforms and standardizing the Belize Tourism Police Officers with those in neighbouring countries will help tourists feel safe and easily recognize them.

Click here for the rest of the story and more pictures in the Ambergris Today!