After a week-long immersive program focused on leadership development and friendly competition, Belize’s 27th Annual National Police Youth Cadet Corps Camp drew to a formal close on Saturday, August 1, in the coastal town of Dangriga. The annual initiative, hosted by the Belize Police Department, marked another successful year of empowering young people across the nation, with 279 local cadets taking part in this year’s iteration.
Organized around the core theme “Command with Honour, Inspire Action, Teaching Young Minds for a Successful Tomorrow,” the camp brought together participants and staff from every region of Belize. In addition to the 279 youth cadets, 80 instructors made up of active police officers and civilian volunteers collaborated to deliver structured training, mentorship, and skill-building activities throughout the week.
Beyond leadership workshops, the week’s schedule included inter-regional athletic competitions, ceremonial foot drill contests, and promotional assessments for cadets seeking advancement within the corps. When the final scores were tallied, the Northern Region claimed top honors in both football and foot drill, while the Eastern Region secured first place in the basketball and volleyball tournaments.
Assistant Superintendent Stacy Smith shared details of the camp’s outcomes during an afternoon police briefing held following the closing ceremonies. Smith confirmed that 69 participating cadets successfully passed their promotional examinations and earned advancements in rank within the cadet corps. The week-long program concluded with a formal award ceremony recognizing top-performing participants and teams, followed by a celebratory public parade that wound through the streets of central Dangriga.