And, to raise awareness about disabilities, the Law Enforcement Torch Run began on Sunday as a part of Disability Awareness Week. Each day, officers from our three law enforcement agencies run with the torch to raise funds for children with special needs. Today they were in Belize City and we caught up with them as they lit the torch along with the Deputy Mayor. Courtney Menzies has this story.
It's the third day of the Law Enforcement Torch Run and police officers, coastguardsmen, and BDF soldiers have been running from the south to the north of the country.
They started off in Punta Gorda then went to Dangriga, San Ignacio and today they were in Belize City.
They told us that the run is to raise funds for kids with diverse abilities.
Sergeant Leticia Moguel, Community Policing, Belize City
"We're here supporting the special olympics. We have Mr Petillo who has started this from Punta Gorda so it is mostly for the special olympics."
Corporal Wilfredo Petillo, Torch Run
"It is not an easy task, we need to condition the mind and the passion that we do as law enforcement officers. We are human beings and we do this for a worthy cause for kids with intellectual disabilities."
"This run started way back in 2012. It went dormant in 2019 due to COVID and now it is prestige that we bring it back with high level of energy."
"We start off with Toledo and we move on in regards to the other communities, Buena Vista, we appreciate the chairlady out there coming out together and raising funds for these children. Yesterday we were in San Ignacio. This morning we brought it from San Ignacio down to Hattieville, Hattieville now into the city and here we are. And later on we'll be catching the boat and heading to San Pedro and in the morning we continue."
And after San Pedro, they will be heading to Corozal, then to Orange Walk and on Friday they'll be back in the city, where the run will end at Marion Jones Stadium.
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