On New Year's night, Jamir Leal and his two brothers were at the Playa Bar and Grill in San Pedro when Leal assaulted his ex-girlfriend. When he began to choke her, his brothers and other patrons at the bar tried to get him to stop. When PC Tyrell Rowley and PC Samir Medina arrived on the scene, it became more chaotic as Leal was clubbed and hit on the head while defenseless on the ground. Typically, when bars are open late, there should be security, or even police officers working on special duty assignment. Love News asked the officer in Charge of the San Pedro Police Formation Superintendent Reymundo Reyes what conditions would determine when security is required and as well as when officers can conduct special duties on Ambergris Caye.

Sup Raymundo Reyes OC San Pedro Police: "Police Officer were conducting motorcycle patrol, what we call beach patrol on the beachfront when they were stopped and they were informed that there was a fight inside of the establishment. When the Police Officer allegedly went inside of the establishment and tried to part the fight that is when one of the young men assaulted the officer and that is how he was manly or even if somebody attempts to pull out his weapon and he managed to at least grab this individual and take him out doing that and subduing the person. This establishments they only operate up to midnight, they don't ask for extension. Jaguars, Body Rock they do ask for that three hours extension and instead of closing off midnight they close 4 o'clock in the morning so for that period of time they are required to have security officers performing duties for that because they ask on weekly basis for an extension as we call it. They have to pay a fee to the town board for extension. If we have persons on day off these are the officers that are allowed to work what we call the Special Duty. An officer who is on actual duty cannot leave his post to perform that Special Duty because you have special assignments and that is how we have the island divided in that whenever a relief or a shift come in we Police officers assigned to hotspots: San Pedrito, San Juan, San Mateo and that is a go go everyday. You have to have Police officers in those areas.

In regards to the incident with the Leal brothers, they have pressed charges against the two officers.

LOVEFM