Posted: June 27, 2016. 4:02 p.m. CST.
By Aaron Humes: Seven police officers from Eastern Division (North), which covers Northside Belize City and the cayes, were today recognized for acts of bravery in the call of duty. 
Three were involved in a rescue of an 11-year-old drowning child on Newtown Barracks on Friday, while the remaining four were rewarded for their work in apprehending the 15-year-old shooter who attacked Queen Street Police Station on June 17th.
One is the four is Corporal Alrick Arnold, who was paid a special visit by the Commissioner and fellow officers at his home this morning in Fabers’ Road Extension. He continues to recuperate from injuries sustained in the incident.
In the case of the first incident, a routine mobile patrol on Friday morning for members of the Eastern Division (North) Strike Team became anything but when they came upon an apparent drowning situation along Newtown Barracks.
It all started because an 11-year-old boy disobeyed a direct command from his 14 year old female cousin and another female minor while on the seawall on Marine Parade, not to go into the water because he could not swim and neither could his cousin. The boy chose to run onto the pier and jump in; he began to struggle and then went under.
As they were coming on the scene, the officers were told what happened and immediately jumped in to look for the child. After locating him within 30 seconds and performing CPR, they took him to Accident and Emergency at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he remains in a critical but stable condition, having learned a most valuable lesson.
This morning the three officers involved got some kudos from their bosses – Commissioner of Police Allen Whylie and Officer Commanding Eastern Division (North), Assistant Commissioner Deziree Phillips. One of the rescuers, Police Constable Christian Cawich, said his team needed to work together to ensure the child did not drown, and fortunately he did not. He “felt good” about the work he did, he said. According to ACP Dezerie Phillips, Officer Commanding Eastern Division (North) police do train for the off-chance of events like this, but the decision to intervene speaks to their personal character and determination to save a life without any regard for their own. P.C. Cawich says he and his fellow officers will soon pay the boy a visit – presumably including a stern talking-to about disobeying his elders.
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