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Cops Want Farming and Feeding Program

And finally for some more police news tonight. As you've been seeing, in only his first few weeks on the job, the new Southside commander is changing his mode of engagement with the community, the private sector and the public sector agencies. One group he's reached out to is the Ministry of Agriculture - for an urban farming and school feeding project. He told us why:...

Sup. Howell Gillett- O. C. Belmopan Police Station
"There are many kids who go to school without having breakfast and sometimes lunch. Some naysayers might say: well what do the police have to do with feeding programs or farming in school? But of course we have a lot to do with it because if we don't look after these kids at this current moment then it may well become a police issue in the very near future and I believe awareness creation is one of the greatest help that we could have on our side because when others see what we are going through then we might get others to be involved. What we are going to do very shortly is that, well, there are three schools on the south side that really need some help and the Ministry of Agriculture, as a matter of fact, has already prepared the proposal for it and I am in dialogue with the Belize Social Security board to fund it. I believe it is preapproved, so it is just to send up the proposal and very soon we will see that come for these schools. The thing behind it is that these farming in schools will help to augment the feeding programs in the schools."

Scotiabank Wants To Help Cops

And while he met with the Ministry for the public sector side of the equation - he met with the bank manager at Scotia for the private sector side of the story. Gillett says there are also promising opportunities there:

Sr. Supt. Howell Gillett, OC, Eastern Division South
"Number one would be, We want to have a Chaplain for the police because people take it for granted that when a police officer goes on a crime scene that everything is okay, but not so, because it affects the brain. It affects the family because when he is reminiscing or remembering what occurred, it affects not only himself but his colleagues and family. We want to help. When an officer goes on a murder scene, we want to do some counseling shortly after where applicable. Too many officers are involved in commuting and we have to do something about it. These officers don't get enough rest. Imagine an officer living in Corozal, coming off at 7 in the morning and he has to go home and by the time he reaches home he has return to the City to work. So, all these will help to show the officers we do care. We want to build a twenty-man barrack room, to start with. It will be for the lower ranks. We discussed concessionary loans based on the salaries of these officers to help them to augment whatever household appliances and even to build their homes."