7 News Belize

Police Officer Caught Smuggling Border Jumper
posted (August 24, 2020)
Tonight police constable Jonathan Cal has been placed under quarantine pending charges. That's after he and his wife were caught attempting to facilitate a pregnant border jumper, who is reportedly a family member.

It happened near the Jalacte checkpoint where the officer is said to have resisted arrest. And this morning Commissioner of Police Chester Williams told us that Cal, who should have been setting an example, won't be spared.

Chester Williams, Commissioner Of Police
"Police officer and immigration officers who were at the Jalacte checkpoint, apparently they were in search of an individual who they may have seen and subsequent to that a vehicle was driven by a police officer and he was accompanied by his wife, was stopped. The officer only lowered the front glass of the vehicle. To allow the police and immigration to look in believing that they would only have seen him and they would allow him to go but the team of officers meaning police and immigration decided to make further checks of the vehicle and when they did they found the person that they were looking for hiding in a back seat of a police officer's vehicle and based on that the police officer and the suspected border jumper were detained they are currently in quarantine and as soon as thee quarantine period is over the police officer will be charged for facilitating border jumping. Again as I've said before, that as a department we must set the example we must act responsibly and we are not sparing anybody who acts in violation of the regulation. If it is that we want the Belizean people to take the regulation seriously then we must ensure that we enforce it to its fullest. There is absolutely no exception where the regulation is concerned."

"If it is that police officers continue to act in contravention, we're not going to hide them, we're going to do what needs to be done and the public is going to know who they are."

Cherisse:
"Sir we have reports that that police officer, Jonathan Cal I believe acted belligerently and resisted arrest?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner Of Police
"Well that a matter that the police officers in Punta Gorda is dealing with there are other allegations where that police officer is concerned that we are also looking at."

The border jumper who we are reliably informed is Cal's sister-in-law gave birth this morning at 2:00 am the Punta Gorda town hospital. She was allegedly in Guatemala for the last few months. Her test result will be closely watch since she poses an infection risk for the PG hospital.

Her sister remains in quarantine along with Cal.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize