A high-profile arrest in Belize has reignited public debate over police use of force, specifically the controversial chokehold maneuver, after a video of the confrontation went viral on social media platforms last week. The incident, which unfolded in Unitedville between officers and a local man named Samuel Parham, has prompted an internal investigation and calls for a broader review of police training and use-of-force policies across the country.
According to officials from the Belize Police Department (BPD), current department policy categorizes chokeholds as a form of deadly force, placing them on the same level of severity as firing a weapon at a suspect or striking a suspect in the head with a baton. Under these existing rules, chokeholds are only permitted as a last resort when an officer faces an imminent threat of death or severe grievous bodily harm. BPD Staff Officer ASP Stacy Smith clarified that the policy also allows for deadly force, including the use of a chokehold, in scenarios where a suspect resists arrest and the risk of death or serious injury remains present.
Following the encounter, Parham has been formally charged with inflicting grievous harm after the officer involved sustained a broken arm during the confrontation. The Professional Standards Branch of the BPD has launched an internal investigation to determine whether the use of a chokehold in this specific incident was justified under existing department policy. The investigation is still ongoing, and no conclusions have been released to the public as of yet.
Parham’s family has raised pressing questions about the legality of the chokehold use and the adequacy of police training on the proper application of restrictive force maneuvers. Nikkita Perez, Parham’s cousin, spoke on behalf of the family, stating that they are demanding clarity on whether the use of the chokehold complied with Belizean law and whether officers receive comprehensive training on this tactic at the national police academy.
Belize’s Minister of National Security Michel Chebat has described the incident as deeply unfortunate and has called for an immediate review of national police arrest and use-of-force strategies. Chebat emphasized the need for enhanced, ongoing training to ensure officers are prepared to respond appropriately to high-risk encounters, stressing that any use of force by police must adhere to the principle of proportionality when responding to threats. The incident has put the BPD’s use-of-force policy under unprecedented public scrutiny, with many observers waiting to see what changes to policy or training may come as a result of the investigation’s findings.