Fifty seven women police officers promoted in rank

Today, in honor of Women’s Month, the Belize Police Department held an award ceremony for 57 women police officers. The event was held at the Police Training Academy in Belmopan, where the officers received a promotion in rank. The event was the brainchild of the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, and the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams. According to Williams, the idea was to highlight the deserving women in the BPD who recently passed their promotional exams.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “Now this is not to say that we just randomly select women to be promoted. These were from among the women who have sat the recent promotional exam and have gone through the promotional interviews and it was those women who were successful in both the exams and the interview who were promoted today. Now I don’t want the gentlemen of the department to feel like oh well they’re only promoting women and forget us, the promotion for men also will be done next week so the men’s women will be coming up next week. But again it is only prudent that as we celebrate Women’s month that we do something special for the women of our department. Many would think that the policing is a man’s world an we have had among our ranks now a number of women who are breaking the glass ceilings. We have women up to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police. We have had two Deputy Commissioners in the past and we’re optimistic that very soon we will see women reaching the top, breaking that ultimate glass ceiling and become the Commissioner of Police and so as I said in my presentation that we must all ensure that we recognize the dynamism of women. We must ensure that we celebrate their success and it is only by so doing that the women among us will feel appreciated, they’ll feel like they’re a part of the department as well it is only fitting. They have been here with us, they have been doing a good job going toe to toe with the men and so it is only right hat they be given recognition for the good work that they do.”

Reporter: So what would you say to Ms. Valerie Woods’ comment that she encourages the women to strive for the upper ranks and perhaps even become and earn the title of a police commissioner as well.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police: “She couldn’t have said it any better. I full agree with her and I have also said that in my presentation that we need to see that time come. Policing is no longer a man’s job it is now a job that is gender neutral and every man and woman in the department must strive to that ultimate rank and we long to see the day that we have a woman on top.”