Over the years, the San Pedro Police Formation has increased its community policing program by engaging the youth with their cadets’ program. The program is manned by various police officers dedicated to the cadets. The cadet group is currently under the guidance of Corporal Adrian Flores and police officers Harris Gabourel and Kenrick Gentle. The 25 active cadets are the champions of the 2023 Belize District Drill competition.
The island cadets include males and females between the ages of 8 and 17 who have been active in the community and are preparing to participate in a summer camp. They follow the guidelines of the Belize Police Youth Cadet Corp., including appreciating diversity and individuality while identifying and developing potential youth leaders. The BPYCC guidelines also help cadets develop specific skills and attitudes that assist in promoting law-abiding citizens.
Corporal Flores said that these young police cadets conduct community services once a month. These include attending church services on the last Sunday or Saturday of every month, with churches rotated monthly. They also participate in sporting events, survival lessons, parades, food drills, hiking, fundraisings, physical exercise, like skills, first aid, and map reading, among other beneficial activities.
District foot drill champions
In March of this year, the San Pedro cadets traveled to Belize City to compete in a foot drill competition. The Community Policing Unit of the Belize Police Department spearheaded the competition. The island cadets excelled in the foot drill competition, emerging as the top winners. They returned to San Pedro with medals and the championship trophy. The cadets have now been preparing to compete in the upcoming national competition.
The program on the island hopes to expand and is looking to recruit another group of students.For more information on how to join the cadet program, please visit the San Pedro Police Station and ask the Community Policing Officer for an application.
Share
Read more
