After a nasty start to 2013, the criminal element appears to have settled down.  Prime Minister Dean Barrow reported that compared to the record-breaking pace of 2012, murders are still below the century mark as of this week.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow:  “In terms of crime (very quickly), the news continue to be good.  We are now starting with Belize City which was most out of hand, where are 37 murders to date, when in last year at this time it was 74.  That’s a fantastic reduction and the security forces must be commended.  Countrywide, we are at 89, when last year at this time we were at 130.  So, a huge countdown but not a significant as the Belize City situation”.  If the current pace keeps up it would represent a low mark in murders for a City that was a hot spot for much of the last decade.  The Prime Minister attributes the crime reduction to his Administration’s efforts to keep would-be miscreants occupied and employed.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow:  “In addition to commending the security forces, I make the point that government infrastructure program, especially with respect to the Civic Center and Chetumal Street, Lake Independence Boulevard, ha succeeded in creating huge employment and that’s as well responsible for the tremendous progress that we are making on the anti-crime front”.

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Started dropping after Arthur Young killed Pinky Tillet, who was then killed by police; and the George St massacre, when 4 were slain, probably ordered and executed by people from outside Belize, as a message to the gangs.

Precinct Policing Continuing The Community Outreach

So far this year murders in Belize City are down from 74 at the end of November 2012, to 37, exactly half at the end of November 2013. That's a remarkable 50% drop, and while everyone has their own theory about what's driving crime down, if you ask the police they'll say, with good reason that it's the implementation of precinct policing in the city. That's because precinct policing is about forming lasting relationships with the community, and one example of that came today in Precinct one where the formation held a health fair. Usually that's the job of the ministry og works, who did participate, but it was a police led effort. The officer commanding explained what's the idea:...

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