AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Nation Crime Control Major shakeup in police top brass

Just before news time, major changes were announced by the Ministry of National Security to the high command of the police force. Firstly, the ministry says this will bring about greater efficiency. The most substantive changes include the promotion of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Allen Whylie to Acting Commissioner of Police, replacing David Henderson who now takes up the post of Director of the National Forensic Science Service. Marco Vidal, who has been heading the Gang Suppression Unit and whose removal had been rumoured for some times, is being transferred as head of the Special Branch but a replacement has not been named. Other changes include that Assistant Commissioner of Police Elodio Aragon Junior is promoted to Acting Deputy Commissioner with additional responsibility for Operations. He leaves the post of Officer Commanding Eastern Division, which is being assumed by ACP Miguel Segura who moves from Head of National Crimes Investigation Branch.

Senior Superintendent Miguel Guzman moves to the Police Headquarters in Belmopan on what is referred to as a special assignment. Desiree Philips and Marlon Allen are appointed as Deputy O.C.s of the Eastern Division while Superintendent Arnold and ASP Christopher Noble are also being deployed to that division.� Assistant Superintendent Vienne Robinson moves from Coastal Executive Officer to the Eastern Division and is replaced by Assistant Superintendent Luis Castellanos. And Acting Assistant Commissioner Russell Blackett will Head the National Crimes Investigation Branch. Whylie takes over command of the Police Department on January ninth while the other transfers will follow on the fourteenth.

Channel 5

Here are the changes in the Police Department to become effective on January 14th., 2013

New Commissioner of Police - Allen Whylie

Former Commissioner David Henderson takes up the post of Director of the National Forensic Science Service.

Mr. Allen Wyllie is promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police to the post of Acting Commissioner of Police, thereby assuming command of the Police Department.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Elodio Aragon Jr. is promoted to Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police with additional responsibility for Operations, thereby leaving the post of Officer Commanding Eastern Division.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Miguel Segura moves from Head of National Crimes Investigation Branch to Officer Commanding Eastern Division.

Senior Superintendent of Police Desiree Phillips moves from Commander of Community Police to one of two posts of Deputy Officer Commanding Eastern Division.

Senior Superintendent of Police Marlon Allen moves from Head of Special Branch to the other post of Deputy Officer Commanding Eastern Division.

Senior Superintendent of Police Miguel Guzman moves from Deputy Officer Commanding Eastern Division to Police Headquarters, Belmopan, on special assignment.

Senior Superintendent of Police Louise Willis moves from Director of Training to Commander of Community Policing.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Marco Vidal moves from Head of the Gang Suppression Unit to Head of Special Branch.

Superintendent of Police Dennis Arnold goes from Deputy Head of Special Branch to Eastern Division.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Christopher Noble moves from Executive Duty Officer to Rural Executive Officer, Eastern Division.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Luis Castellanos moves from Officer Commanding Prosecution Branch to Coastal Executive Officer.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Vienne Robinson moves from Coastal Executive Officer to Executive Duty Officer, Eastern Division.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Russell Blackett moves from Commander of Operations to Head of National Crimes Investigation Branch.

Patrick Jones

Assistant Superintendent of Police Vienne Robinson moves from Coastal Executive Officer to Executive Duty Officer, Eastern Division

Is this like changing cabins on the Titanic?
Will some of the rats desert the ship?
Will the cream or the fat float to the top?
Or is it like transferring one pedophile from one diocese to another?
OH my - where is my optimism?

A Belizean fire drill

Commentary: It will take more than reshuffling the top ranks of the Belize police force

By Wellington C. Ramos

From all my years of being in the Belize Police Force -- from 1973 to 1978 I worked at Patrol Branch, Criminal Investigation Branch, NCO I/C Criminal Investigation Branch Orange Walk District and NCO I/C Hattieville -- I am convinced that crime prevention is always better than crime detection. The Belize Police Force over the years has been spending too much time on crime detection and they have failed in detecting many of the crimes, prosecuting the criminals and convicting them.

Most of the crime prevention measures that have been proposed and implemented seem to have had little impact on crime reduction. Getting rid of gangs and guns with a special task force now should be their number one focus and that would stop the violent murders that are taking place in the country. The Police Force know who are the gangs in Belize because they have said that in many of their press conferences.

If the Belize Police Force do not make this their number one priority now, all this restructuring will be in vain because they will be blaming each other for the problem and that will lead to a climate of mistrust and lowering of morale within the Force and the worsening of crimes in our country.

I have not lived in my country since 1978 but I have been following up what has been taking place there and I go back and forth to Belize regularly. Some Belizeans harbour this false belief that we the Belizeans who live in the United States do not know what is happening in our country.

Well, not only do we know but we also care and we are disgusted and sometimes even ashamed to say we are from there. Many of us can recommend solutions to the problems if given the opportunity, but we are not. The good thing is that the problems are resolvable and if the Belize Police Force needs some advice they can look to many Belizean Americans for assistance.

We cannot afford to be looking on the Belize news tomorrow to find out who is the next family member to be assassinated in cold blood for no justifiable reason. Belizeans and tourists will stay away from our country and that will result in huge annual revenue lost to our GDP.

I just hope and pray that these administrative changes will lead to a significant drop in murders, gangs and gang violence and other serious crimes in my country but I am not too optimistic. More Belizeans who live in Belize and the United States should join this debate before one of your relative becomes a murder statistic in our beloved country Belize.

Source

Deputy Commissioner of Police Aragon's super promotion

Last week the Ministry of National Security announced several unexpected changes in the Police Department. The most significant shift occurred at the top and the Commissioner's post went to Allen Whylie to succeed the former commissioner David Henderson, who moved to the all important post of Head of the Forensic Department. But some hope has been cast upon Assistant Commissioner of Police Elodio Aragon junior, who has been appointed to Deputy Commissioner of Police. News Five asked him about the appointment and how being at the headquarters in the capital will impact his stance and vision on crime.

Jose Sanchez

"Belize City continues to be murder capital. As deputy commissioner, what is your mission? Will you concentrate on Belize City still? What will be your plan? How will this new office affect your particular policing?"

Elodio Aragon Jr., Deputy Commissioner of Police

"I think being promoted to the rank deputy commissioner; I think it is a great opportunity for great things to happen. I think it is an opportunity where I have to make significant impact on looking at where we want to go as a Police Department� and to look at not only Belize City or Belize District, but countrywide. Belize City, as you all know, accounts for at least eighty-five percent of murder and we account for even a greater number of crimes countrywide. That said, the battlefield in fighting crime lies here in Belize District; especially Belize City. As deputy commissioner, definitely our priority will lie here in the City. And as such, my time will be centered between Belize and Belmopan, but more so by looking at what is being done in Belize City to ensure that whatever resources we have countrywide is being used-not only to look at what is happening on the other districts, but foremost here in the city. I think the challenge lies in the city and we therefore must focus on the city. These are things that are presently being put in place. And I do believe that that acting commissioner right now, Mister Whylie, is looking and we are working together on looking at new strategies to be implemented in Belize City. And I think that as time progresses, Mister Whylie will be highlighting those to the media. But definitely there is a number of things that will be done because we got to look at what is happening. We have to look at where we are, how effective are we, what is working, what is not working and where we need to go from there?"

Aragon and the other officers who have been transferred will assume posts in the next few days.

Channel 5

Whylie Assumes Command

Yesterday evening in Belmopan, Allen Whylie assumed command of the Department he entered 26 years earlier. The change of command ceremony was held at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan.

Police Minister John Saldivar welcomed Whylie - and pointed to the tough job ahead:..

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of Nat'l Security
"We must re-align our human resources to provide us with the best possible mix in order to ensure continuous growth. Today we install a new leader for the police department; Deputy Commissioner Whylie. I have the utmost trust and tremendous vote of confidence in you. I expect that under your leadership that performance will exceed expectations and that you will hold with the standards of excellence that are the hallmark of the core values of the Belize Police Department."

Allen Whylie - commissioner of police
"We are challenged with the issue of crime countrywide but in particular in Belize City. I want to tell you that don't despair, I am committed - the leadership is committed, the government is committed to make the necessary change that the citizenry across this country and in particular Belize City can really enjoy the level of safety and security that they deserve and I will work tirelessly - the seniors officers and the members of this police department will work tirelessly."

"Although I have reach the pinnacle I am not satisfied because I know that we can do better and we will be doing better and I want to assure you that I have already directed my officers that each and every police officer have got to see themselves as a community oriented officer and we need to move from just talking that philosophy to actually implementing and we are putting plans in place, we've had a number of meetings and very shortly we will be making public in terms of some of the changes we will be doing in terms of the type of policing we will be doing in particular in Belize City. We cannot continue to maintain the same status quo and expect to have different results, so changes will be made. We will have setbacks but I ask the citizenry not to lose hope. I am committed and I am dedicated."

Saldivar also spoke of hundreds of new surveillance cameras that he handed over to the Department on Tuesday.

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of Nat'l Security
"Today I was able to pass over to the IT Department of the Belize Police Department 320 cameras that will show the way in the new and modern Police Department. Those cameras will be installed in a pilot area of Belize City, and we expect that they will contribute greatly to our efforts to monitor the criminals on the street."

Hopefully these cameras can record - as we now know the one on George Street did not. Saldivar also discussed weaknesses of the Department and plans to reform wayward youth:..

Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of Nat'l Security
"I believe we have become deficient is in our investigation efforts, in our prosecution efforts, and certainly in our penal system that should be punishing those who commit crimes against our society."

"We have therefore resolved to set up a new corrective institution at the Mountain Pine Ridge to be run by the Belize Defence Force. That institution is now ready to accept its first inmates."

Channel 7

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PD Change Of Command Ceremony