SPPD increases patrol for the christmas holidays

The Christmas holidays are upon us and generally with all the celebrations on the island, there is an influx of tourists, visitors and criminals as well. This time of the year also brings an increase in the sales of Alcoholic beverages, and, of course, more drunken people on our streets and beaches. With this in mind, the San Pedro Police has decided to embark on an Anti-Crime Christmas Campaign.

According to the Officer in Charge of Duties and Discipline at the San Pedro Police Department, Sergeant Basil Reyes, this campaign commenced on November 15th, 2010 and is scheduled to run through January 15th, 2011. The campaign seeks to address the Christmas anti-crime situation, by employing additional police personnel to cover the business area and provide a heighten security for residents in the area.

This will be achieved through assistance from the special constable program, as well as additional personnel coming from other branches to assist. A major area of concern is the burglary prevention patrol in the night time. The police have embarked on additional foot patrol, mobile patrol on land and sea, stop and searches of individuals gathering on street corners as well as conducting house searches among others.

Word of advice for individuals leaving the island to travel, “ensure that you leave some type of information with someone that you will be away, find someone to look after your property and provide them with contact information of yourself as well as of the police in the event it would become necessary. The San Pedro Police Department will continue the efforts to control the various situations that may arise during the Christmas celebrations such as drunk driving and so forth, through high visibility patrol and ensuring that personnel be available to respond to citizen’s concerns and enforce the law.

The San Pedro Police Department invites the general public to do their part by reporting suspicious activities in your area to the Police by dialing 911 or 226-2022. With this said, Sergeant Basil Reyes, on behalf of the San Pedro Police Department wishes the residents of Ambergris Caye as well as visitors a safe and Merry Christmas and reminds “the police is here to serve the community”.