AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life News Man murdered in San Pedro early this morning

I've been known to drive friends home at the end of an evening. They've told me not to stop for anything or any reason. I don't drive anyone home any more and now they make sure I get home in the center of town. If I didn't love those I've known for so many years, at least one of whom was born in San Pedro . . .I don't know if I would keep coming back. Even ten years ago and less, I could walk home by myself at any hour from the area of Roadkill to mid Boca del Rio. My prayers are always that something will bring us back to that time of such wonderful innocence.

Elbert is absolutely correct. Orio was the best we ever had. I know that from personal experience. I hear he's getting involved and I'm all for it...

I went to Boston in 1976 and found out they had what they called the COMBAT ZONE.
Although there were no fences every one knew the perimeter of the area. Gangs and drugs were so wild that the city virtually turned the area over to the thugs who lived there and let them duke it out. Police, ambulance and fire would not go into the area until they cleaned themselves up.
I don't know how long this lasted nor how effective it was.
I just edited myself!
I think the police should accept all the help they can get - regardless of where it comes from.

April 26th Dennis 'Chingy' Palacio was fatally shot
May 2nd Guns and ammunition are stolen from Police
May 9th armed robbery incident at Bowen and Bowen
May 10th attempted murder
May 18th Two women Shooting
May 31st Alfred Kelvin. Killed,

This island is too small to have this much crime???????????????

Harriette, with all due respect your statement on Boston's "Combat Zone" is somewhat incorrect.

Yes, we had a "combat zone" in those days. It was also called the "Adult Entertainment Zone". As the name implies it was an area of the city which was property zoned to allow strip clubs; bars; peep shows and that type of businesses. What happened is that prostitution, gambling and mostly petty crime flourished in this "zone". Also at that time there was a large military presence in Boston mostly due to the Boston Naval Yard. The sailors and soldiers where on the streets by the hundreds, probably thousands and yes, I guess it did resemble a war zone due to all the military. Drugs and the vicious crime that comes with it did not exist in those days.

The area was not avoided by fire or police in those days and I remember quite a large police presence in the zone. By today's standards the zone was quite tame and I'm not saying no one ever got murdered in the zone but I will say that it was not too common. There are projects and certain areas of the city that where crime is more prevalent and this changes over the years with the economic well-being of the areas.

For instance today Charlestown and Southie which where once a little dicey have been gentrified and except for the projects are quite safe. The same is true with the Northend. Other areas in which the working class have moved from and have been inhabited by, shall I say non-working are not areas you should be in at any time of the day. The military for all practical purposes does not have a presence in Boson today.

What is going on in San Pedro when compared to the population is worse than the "Zone" ever was. The Boston police; State Police and FBI, then and now, maintain a high presence in Boston and that included the "Zone". Boston is quite a safe city but like any city including Belize City it is best to stay out of certain areas. In 2012 there were 9 murders per every hundred thousand residents. And what is San Pedro per hundred thousand? In Belize there were 40 homicides per 100,000 residents, mostly because of the southern section of Belize City. A quick look didn't produce numbers for San Pedro but with its small population of 15-20K I'll bet it is higher than 9 buy a multiple. There are solutions but there does not seem to be the political will, yet.

Thanks for the information Jim. I stayed there with a friend and went by what he told me. What do you think of the COPs program?

As the COPs program relates to our neighborhood (Tres Locos)it certainly has been effective. By that I mean the Neighborhood Watch (NACNW). Most of the time there is little police presence there and several criminals have been apprehended by NACNW in the last few years. God knows how many crimes have been prevented by the presence of security in Tres Locos and the resorts like Grand Caribe. Yes, we have incidences but they are contained and so far very few tourists have been effected because undesirables have been pushed out. Without the efforts of Scott and others it would be a different story I believe.

In the South the same is true of their Neighborhood Association. Without a community effort working with the police we would have a very different situation.

I lived in the COMBAT ZONE in 1973-1974. Disagree on drugs and vicious crime not existing there in those days. After midnight, it was pretty wild, literally hundreds of prostitutes would hang out around Lagrange Street and stop every car and give a quote for services, and they would rob you without hesitation. Anecdotal, of course. The game changer to all this was the assault and murder of a Harvard football player. After that the Mayor, Kevin White, pulled out all the stops and crime and drugs there did slow.

There is still a sizable military presence in the area, largely the North End, where there is a large Coast Guard base, with about 7 vessels anchored there, as large as 287', probably +-500 Coasties around at any given time. Not like in the WWII Scollay Square/City Square days, but still a presence.

It appears that a majority of the violent crime on Ambergris Caye is based on the sales and distribution of drugs. The most effective thing visitors to Ambergris Caye can do to help with this increase in crime is to not participate in the purchase or use of illegal drugs on the island. By doing this we shrink the market and provide incentive for the dealers to move to a more lucrative market. This can be expanded to include not frequenting businesses where the drugs are distributed or encouraged.

I would also encourage undercover stings by the police with officers selling to buyers and arresting the individuals involved regardless of their nationality and residency status. I am sure that if word of a zero tolerance policy gets out, tourism will drop off for a short period of time and then it will recover with increased numbers of people who want to experience the country without the drugs being involved.

I am sure that some people will respond with "it's just a little weed" and to that I would say that if each person had "just a little" that would add up to a "whole lot!"

Agree with Wolfeel2000, adding in that cocaine is also a part of the mix, as is alcohol abuse.