A Ladyville resident who is a mother of four, 34-year-old Denise Pitts, is claiming that she was a victim of police brutality.
By Charles Gladden
BELIZE CITY, Wed. May 18, 2022
Denise Pitts, 34, a resident of Ladyville and a mother of four, is claiming that she was recently a victim of police brutality while out socializing at an establishment a little over two weeks ago.
According to Pitts, she was manhandled by a police officer as she was attempting to enter the establishment, where a fight, in which she was not involved, had reportedly erupted. She said that the officer, who was responding to a call that alerted him of the fight, refused to let her into the establishment and later slammed her onto the ground, which caused a fracture to her collarbone.
Pitts said that, following the incident, she sought treatment at both the Belize Medical Associates and Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), but that subsequently, when she revealed that a police officer had caused her injuries, she encountered difficulties when attempting to access further care from the medical professionals at both health facilities.
“My friends came and took me, and I went to Karl Heusner, where I did my first X-ray. I did it and they said they didn’t find anything wrong. Next morning, the Monday morning, I put on my clothes and I went to work, but I was in a lot of pain. So my supervisor said ‘Denise, you’re in a lot of pain. Your arm is swollen.’ And I explained the situation and he said, ‘go back to the doctor; maybe they missed something’. So I went back to the clinic that I usually go to and immediately as the doctor looked at me, he told me that my hand looks like it’s broken’. She said, ‘I’ll let you do another X-ray because that is definitely broken’. When I went back to Medical [Associates], I took an X-ray, and that’s when they found out my collarbone was broken,” she recounted.
“I went back to the doctor and recommended me to go to a bone specialist, so I went to one in Medical [Associates]…. While speaking to him [the bone specialist], he’s explaining to me that the way that the bone is broken, I need to get surgery. But he paused and asked how did I get the injury. I explained to him it was an officer that did it. He changed his whole words and said ‘Well, you don’t really need any surgery. It could just heal by itself and if you don’t believe me, you can Google’ and he told me ‘if you do get a surgery for it, it’ll leave a big scar on your shoulder and you can’t wear your bikini’ and I was like this doctor is real? My hand is in pain and you’re talking about a bikini,” expressed Pitts.
Pitts then described what occurred when she returned to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital to seek further treatment. “I left from there. I went back to Karl Heusner, and when I went back, they asked me why am I here? I told him that I was supposed to take surgery for my arm. They looked at my X-ray and they were like ‘and how you got the injury?’ I told him that it was an officer that did this to me. They were like, ‘You don’t really need no surgery and bone don’t even look it really that broken, so just come back in two weeks’ time and we will do therapy.’ The doctor asked ‘Did you take an ultrasound before I did this one?’ And I said ‘I did took an X-ray before I took this one and I did it right here and they said they didn’t find anything’ and he said, ‘So what you did? Go home and break your hand and come back?’” Pitts said.
Pitts said that she doesn’t know the name of the officer who allegedly assaulted her, but she is sure she can identify him. However, when she tried to make an official report of the incident, she was turned away by the other officers at the police station.
“I know somebody saw something, and it’s Belize we’re at; somebody always sees something, and that’s the reason I came, because I don’t know the name of the officer, and by not knowing the name of this officer it is hard for me. Because without knowing his name, I do not have a case. I can recognize him, but they don’t give me the opportunity, and when I went to make my report to the police station, they told me that it will be a long investigation,” stated Pitts.
Pitts believes that the medical professionals may be afraid of the Police Department.
“That’s what I believe! I’m in pain, you can’t see? And because it’s an officer you all keep changing your words, and this is your job as a doctor. You’re supposed to help people when they come in need. Medically, when I come here, I come because I know you guys are the persons for this job. But instead of you helping me here, you guys are trying to cover it more and that’s what got more [mad],” lamented Pitts.
Pitts subsequently contacted an attorney and has since sent a letter to the Commissioner of Police regarding the issue.
“I did went to seek a lawyer, and he said that he will send a letter to the Commissioner [of Police] and get to the bottom of this, because this is aggressive assault because the officer used force and he will get to the bottom of this,” said Pitts.
Pitts said that she finally was able to undergo surgery, which cost her over $5,000, and she will be receiving physical therapy in the upcoming weeks.