7 News Belize

COMPOL Backtracks on Dreadlocks Directive
posted (May 2, 2019)
And, so while the attorneys, Leslie Mendez and Anthony Sylvester are ready to make a constitutional challenge - it seems Commissioner Chester had made the rarest of decisions: he has decided that this is a fight he doesn't need.

In a surprising about-turn - Williams issued a statement this evening, syaing, quote,

"...having discussed the matter with my senior management team, we have decided to submit the matter to the Solicitor General for a legal opinion. This means that the disciplinary hearing against them will be put on hold pending that opinion. This is being done in the interest of fairness to the officers as well as to ensure the department does not incur unnecessary expense or waste time in court fighting something that (it) may be able to resolve otherwise." End quote.

That seems downright peaceable, but Williams couldn't just leave it at that - he still had to drive the point home - even as he is beating a retreat. His statement says, quote,
"The Belize police department is and will remain a disciplined organization, our rules and regulations are for all our members to adhere to. If we want to ensure public trust and confidence in our ability to effectively fight crime in this country improve, then we must start by ensuring that we can abide by our internal rules, and we cannot cherry pick which ones we must enforce and which ones we must disobey. Our standing orders speaks clearly on the issue of no elaborate head decorations or attachment; however, while we know what elaborate means we feel strongly that it's best we obtain the legal opinion first to provide some legal guidance in the matter. The officers in question for the most part are committed and dedicated, but we must understand that being committed and dedicated are no excuses to disobey the rules of the department." End quote.

So, he ends with a scolding, but it's the woman officers who may have the last say. Their attorney reminded us that her clients have been put through intense public scrutiny for something that was just dropped in the end.

We'll keep following the story.

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