The former Minister of National Security and current shadow minister of Home Affairs - as well as chairman of the UDP - Michael Peyrefitte took the podium after his leader to discuss what he referred to as under reporting from the police department. He explained that the numbers they've assessed don't match up to the ones coming out of the department and accused them of purposely misinforming the public. He also took a shot at a certain top cop who also has a private venture on the side.
Michael Peyrefitte, Shadow Minister, Home Affairs
"The most alarming and heartbreaking example of this is the under reporting of murder statistics. The police department recently released a report citing 89 murders for 2024. Yet when we examine the actual data and the records that we have access to and have been given access to, our research shows that there were actually 97 murders, not including 10 additional deaths that clearly bear all the hallmarks of murder but which were prematurely and suspiciously classified as mere death investigations. A per capita or 24+ murders per 100,000 is not an insignificant increase from 2023 when it was 21 per 100,000."
"And another statistic that will have to be revealed to the Belizean public will be the number of people who will be sent back to Belize who are criminal elements and members of criminal gangs. We see the recent President of the United States making it very clear, sending planes, military planes, to Columbia and to Guatemala with people who he decides are undesirables. When Belize are returned to Belize, who are these people?"
"Add to that, when you talk about statistics and the truth, the policy of the police department, this police department, is that any robbery or burglary under $5,000 is not counted in their statistics. And when you check the statistics, most burglaries and most robberies have a value of less than $5,000 so when they tell you that so many robberies and burglaries take place, violent crimes, crimes that can lead to violence, you are not getting the true picture of what the actual numbers are."
"The next UDP government will ensure that the police department has a leader who listens to our officers, who fights for their wellbeing and who ensures that they are given the tools, the training and the respect they need to do their jobs effectively."
"We must also address a disturbing trend among certain high ranking officers. Too many of them have begin to blur the lines of public service and private gain. We have seen cases where senior officers have become deeply involved in personal business ventures, raising serious questions about there their funding comes from and whether they are using their positions of authority to further their private interest."
7News has long disputed the Commissioner's total of 89 murders in 2024, and we can confirm that even police internal documents put that number at 94.
Email
Print