A family residing in Belize City’s Oleander and Mahogany Streets intersection is speaking out against what they call persistent aggressive policing, claiming officers have wrongfully targeted their home for nearly two years — with the frequency and intensity of searches spiking following the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Ewart Hernandez Jr. in August.
The most recent confrontation unfolded earlier this week, when law enforcement officers returned to the property to conduct another search and took Jaime Anderson into custody. Anderson had previously published video footage of prior police searches on social media platforms, and household members say his detention is directly tied to that public documentation of the interactions.
One unnamed resident of the home shared a detailed account of the encounter, which began when the family returned from a grocery run. “We were just coming back with our food when they stopped us, started asking for my name,” the resident recalled. “I asked if they had a search warrant, and they didn’t answer. When I refused to give my information right away, they restrained me, called me a gang member and asked me which gang I belong to. They keep claiming this whole house is a gang headquarters.”
The resident emphasized that the family does not oppose legitimate law enforcement efforts to investigate criminal activity in the area, but draws the line at what they describe as ongoing excessive force and unfair profiling. Over two years of repeated searches, the family notes, officers have never recovered any evidence linking the residence or any family member to gang activity or other crimes.
Local law enforcement officials confirm they are conducting investigations into criminal activity connected to the address, but have not directly addressed the excessive force allegations. Police Commissioner Dr. Richard Rosado told News 5 that he has not yet viewed the footage Anderson posted, and declined to comment on an incident he had not reviewed.
For the beleaguered family, the repeated incursions and alleged mistreatment have crossed a line: they are now preparing to file an official formal complaint with law enforcement oversight bodies to address the pattern of behavior.