BELIZE CITY, Mon. Jan. 24, 2022– Today, the Commissioner of Police informed the public that about 300 police officers are currently not reporting for duty after testing positive for COVID-19. He said that the department is currently spreading officers across the country to ensure that they continue to provide an adequate level of security for the citizenry, but the reduction of manpower is affecting the department. Williams also stated that currently Placencia is the area most affected, with almost 50% of the formation in that tourism hub out sick.

He said that the department should never reach the point where they have to close down a station, since they send officers from other formations to fill the necessary gaps.

At this time, following a directive from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, public servants are mandated to quarantine for only 7 days before they can be cleared by a medical professional to re-enter the workforce.