The public needs to take matters such as the video involving Sergeant Devon Makin "in its totality," Commissioner of Police Chester Williams urged in a media interview on Wednesday.
This comes in response to a viral video showing Makin kicking and pistol-whipping a civilian in San Pedro over the weekend.
Commissioner Williams provided context and defended Sergeant Makin’s actions during the interview. According to Williams, the incident began when two minors, visibly frantic and fearful, approached Sergeant Makin while he was off duty, alleging that they were being chased by masked individuals with firearms.
Williams explained, “The sergeant, being the type of person he is, didn’t leave the two minors in the cold. He returned to see if he could apprehend these individuals. He met the one seen with him in the video and had information that he may be armed.”
In the video, Makin can be heard instructing the civilian to "kneel down" while using force to subdue him. The Commissioner emphasized the standard police procedure in such situations, where officers must ensure their safety and that of others when dealing with potentially armed suspects. Williams acknowledged the controversial nature of the incident, stating, “I am not going to condone the issue of the pistol-whipping because the weapon could have gone off and the result could have been different. But we have to look at the situation in its totality.”
The Commiss-ioner also pointed out that the video may not present the full story. He noted that such footage is often edited to show only certain parts, potentially skewing public perception. “Those persons who did the video recording know exactly what happened. But as usual, they spliced the video and just released what needed to be released,” Williams remarked.
Critics, including media representatives, questioned the impartiality of the Commissioner’s stance, given that Makin is related to him. When asked if his judgment was impaired due to this relationship, Williams dismissed the notion, stating, “There have been many people who are relatives of mine who do wrong, and I made sure that they are dealt with in accordance with the law.”
The Commiss-ioner reiterated that the Professional Standard Branch is investigating the matter thoroughly. He emphasized that the investigation’s outcome would determine the appropriate course of action. “Once the investigation is done, then we see where it goes from there,” Williams assured.
Williams urged the public to consider the full context of such incidents before passing judgment and assured that the department is committed to transparency and justice.
The invest-igation into Sergeant Devon Makin’s actions remains ongoing, and the Belize Police Department has yet to release an official statement on the incident.
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