And, as Vidal goes to Belmopan, back to Special Branch, he makes way for Sr. Superintendent Howell Gillett, who will take over as Eastern Division Southside's new commander.
As we told you last night this is part of a major shakeup in the senior ranks of the Department.
Now, the south side has been passed around a number of times to try and find the right fit. Everyone remembers the era of Super Cop ACP Chester Williams and his community policing strategy - then the command was given to Senior Superintendent Marco Vidal - with his paramilitary policing style, and now it's in Sr. Supt. Gillett's hands - who has made it clear that community policing is the only way to go. We met up with Gillett in downtown Belize this evening already adjusting to the big city life. He told us more about his youth focused approach.
Sr. Supt Howell Gillet, Southside Commander
"I am all excited, it is an honor, I am happy for those the commissioner and the management team who saw it in me to send me to Belize City to try and help with what is the current status. I believe my style of policing I lead as a team will be able to solve some of the issues, we will be more than happy to do so. I want to offer my sympathies to all those who have been affected by crime recently especially the young people. You know very well as the nation I love to work with young people and keep them away from crime and deliver them into positive adults. While I was in Belmopan, I dealt with in excess of 7,000 young people and I can tell you our record shows that none of these young people have ever been involved in any egregious or flagrant breach of the law and we are happy for that that tell me a story and I know Belize City is bigger than Belmopan by far but I believe if we engage the community closer, if the public feel that trust, if the public feel that confidence in the police we would be able to…it is said that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care and I believe that working with young people to start with the citizenry will see that police is serious about change."
Courtney Weatherburne, reporter
"Belize City it is a completely different social dynamic and makeup, I know you are used to Belmopan, you have done great work in Belmopan as well with Youth initiatives, what specific initiatives can you carry over here to Belize city, you have to deal with a lot more in terms gangs and particular areas as compared to Belmopan, it is completely different."
Sr. Supt Howell Gillet, Southside Commander
"Of course it is different, the dynamics are completely different but the general idea of community policing will work for Belize City, one of the things that I don't want to get into the full details of it yet until we have spoken to all the officers one of the things I want to address is to look after the children of these gang members because sometimes we can reach out to others through their kids."
"Somebody asked me earlier if I would negotiate with the gang members, of course I won't negotiate but there has to be some level of dialogue and people like Ms. Diane Finnegan and brother Nuri Mohammed, of course I will engage with them because we want the very best for Belize City."
"The hard hand or the hard fist is not the best solution for crime especially in the city."
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