Posted: June 27, 2016. 3:57 p.m. CST.
By Aaron Humes: Responding to recent incidents including the murderous attempt by a 15-year-old minor on a noted gang affiliate which resulted in four persons including a police officer being injured
two weeks ago, Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie indicated that police will have to ring the perimeter of their own compound, Queen Street Police Station near the heart of town.
And, the Commissioner stated that the age of the accused perpetrator confirms that Belize is finally seeing instances similar to its regional counterparts.
That, the senior cop says, is down to what happens at home, as police rarely get ahold of impressionable youths until they are in a position to commit crime, usually starting small with instances of drug trafficking and possession and occasionally breaking and entering.
Commenting on the rise of what Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams has called “gun children” – very young teenagers being recruited by older gang members to commit crime – Commissioner Whylie said that for police, it is a matter of getting to them before the gangsters do.
It has forced police to evolve their role in society over time from simple law enforcement to almost surrogate parenting and social work, something the Commissioner says they will do much more of in an attempt to stop crime and keep youths from jail and the grave.
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