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ACP Aragon Explains San Pedro Transfers

Today Arragon explained her transfer wa sin process for some time:

ACP Elodio Aragon, O/C Eastern Division
"When it comes to Ms. Vianney Robinson, the officer commanding San Pedro. She has been stated for transfer and I think presently that is being looked at for January. If I am not mistaken it is for the 15th January of next year for her to be transfer to Belize City and at that point in time a replacement will be sent out to San Pedro. That has been in the plan already."

"In regards to Cpl. Young, I would like to tell you that Cpl. Young transfer is an administrative transfer and that transfer was made from police headquarters. Like I mention it would be best to address your question to police headquarters whom are responsible for the transfer of Cpl. Young and I am quite sure they will have reasons as to why they transferred her."

Jules Vasquez
"If we can't get an answer from the 4th or 5th in command in the department - Officer Commanding Eastern Division - there is no answer to be had. Mr. Henderson doesn't take our calls."

ACP Elodio Aragon, O/C Eastern Division
"As I have said; as OCED, my powers of transfer lies within reposting within the districts - that does not take away from police headquarters their power of transfer likewise. They may have received reports that I may have not seen as OCED."

Aragon also explained how he interceded to get Lisa Marie Merz bail after Herredia called him.

Aragon says there was nothing irregular about that:

ACP Elodio Aragon, O/C Eastern Division
"One of the concerns was when I looked at the situation it was the holiday of the 19th - it was a long weekend. Looking at that situation there I have spoken to officer commanding and I mention to her will this person be charge? What would be the situation with her? If she is to spend all that weekend there for these minor offences and she mentioned to me that that is the present situation they are looking at and I told her listen, this person si somebody well-known in San Pedro - is the police department - why did we take up a responsibility to have somebody detained who may be alleging at this point in time injuries etc. Let us look at assisting in giving her bail, so we do not have somebody up to Tuesday morning detained for these offences. I had ensured that we get appropriate persons who are Belizeans to sign bail and this is all within the legal power of the police. "

According to the San Pedro Sun Merz pleaded guilty to four charges, and not guilty to the charge of "assaulting a uniformed police officer" which she was later found guilty of. Her charges are: Assaulting a uniformed police officer fined $800; Use of Indecent Words fined $100; Use of Insulting Words fined $100; Boisterous Behavior fined $50 and Resisting Arrest fined $300.

Channel 7

2 San Pedro transfers including Officer in Charge

Sharmane Young

The sudden transfer of Sharmane Young, the Officer formerly in charge of the San Pedro Police Tourism unit, following her arrest of an unruly U.S. National Liza Mertz, had evoked criticism from the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (N.T.U.C.B.). The N.T.U.C.B. chastised Manuel Heredia, the Minister of Tourism, for his involvement in the situation, while asking for Young to be returned to the island. Today, it was also brought to light at the police press conference that the Officer Commanding the San Pedro Police Formation, Assistant Superintendent Vienne Robinson, will also be transferred in the New Year.

Elodio Aragon Jr., Assistant Commissioner of Police

Elodio Aragon Jr.

"Yes Minister Heredia had spoken to me. He made a call to me and expressed that he would love us to see if we could look into the situation of a specific tourist who was detained. I told him I would look into it the matter. I spoke to the Officer Commanding San Pedro and I looked into the issue. And the issue was plain. A tourist had committed herself; she was under the influence, I got to understand, and as a result the woman corporal had to place her under arrest and escorted her to the station. One of the concerns was when I looked at the situation, it was I think the holiday of the nineteenth-it was a long weekend. Looking at that situation there, I spoke to officer commanding and I asked her, will this person be charged; what will be the situation with her. If she is to spend all that weekend there for these minor offences and she mentioned to me that that is the present situation they are looking at. I said listen, this person is well known in San Pedro. And the police department, why will we take up a responsibility to have somebody detained who may be alleging at this point in time injuries or etc. Let us look at assisting in giving her bail so we will not have somebody up to Tuesday morning detained for these offences. I ensured that we got appropriate persons to sign bail. And this is all within the legal power of the police because we have legal authority for those decisions. And that was what was said and that was what was done. Now when it comes to the issue of Corporal Young being transferred from San Pedro and Miss Viennie from San Pedro, I will tell you this; when it comes to Miss Viennie Robinson, she has been slated for transfer and I think presently that is being looked at for January. If I am not mistaken it is for the fifteenth of January of next year for her to be transferred to Belize City and at that point in time, a replacement will be sent to San Pedro. And that had been planned already. In regards to Corporal Young, I would like to tell you that Corporal Young's transfer is an administrative transfer and that transfer was made from police headquarters. And I think if you have any questions, I think it would be best for you to address that to police headquarters. When it comes to police transfers, I would like to mention that there is always a procedure-a process that we follow as a police department and there are always times or exigencies in the job when persons are required to be transferred immediately while others will be factored in within the rotational time for transfer for police officers. Like I mentioned, it will be best to address your questions to police headquarters who were responsible for the transfer of Corporal Young and I am quite sure that they will have reasons as to why they transferred her."

Corporal Young was instructed to report to work in Belize City in mid December.�

Channel 5