Photo: Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Mon. Sept. 25, 2023
According to Police Commissioner Chester Williams, the mid-year murder statistics, covering January to June 2023, indicate a significant decline in the murder rate.
On Thursday, September 21, Commissioner Williams shared information on his Facebook page, detailing Belize’s mid-year murder statistics over the past decade, starting from 2012:
2012 – 73; 2013 – 55; 2014 – 48; 2015 – 68; 2016 – 68; 2017 – 67; 2018 – 80; 2019 – 57; 2020 – 50; 2021 – 51; 2022 – 54; 2023 – 41 (up until June each year).
From the data, it is evident that 2014 saw the lowest number of murders (48), from January to June, whereas in 2018 there was a peak with 80 murders for the year’s first 6 months.
As 2023 reached its midway point, the current count stood at 41, positioning it to potentially be the lowest in over a decade.
Williams passionately voiced his concerns over the misinformation surrounding these statistics. “For one to use the freedom of independence to spew lies to the Belizean people that murders are more frequent now than ever should not be countenanced, and I see it as an insult to the hard-working men and women of the Belize Police Department and the other agencies working with us in trying to keep this country safe,” he remarked.
Furthermore, Williams shared that while these figures indicate progress, Belize is not yet where it aspires to be in terms of safety.
Stopping crime entirely remains a constant challenge. He emphasized the collective responsibility of not just security agencies but every Belizean in building safer communities and fostering a secure Belize.
Williams also made a guest appearance on a local morning show where he emphasized the invaluable effort made by the Police Department, coming out of the busiest month of the year — September.
Major events included Carnival Day in Belize City, the 10th celebrations, the Independence Day parade, and the Orange Walk Carnival.
In an effort to keep each municipality safe, areas such as San Ignacio and Dangriga — prominent festival hotspots — received extra manpower through the deployment of additional police officers, some of whom were working overtime. As the month is slowly winding down, he lauded all officers for helping in making all operational plans a success.