Police assault Plus TV journalist at drowning scene in Belmopan

Published by BBNTEAM at March 4, 2025

Posted: Tuesday, March 4, 2025. 11:28 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: Journalist Louis “Ljay” Wade, III, of Plus TV was reportedly assaulted by police officers while covering a tragic double drowning at Guanacaste Park on February 27. Wade alleges that he was physically confronted by officers who demanded that he delete footage he had captured on his phone of the scene.

According to Wade, the situation escalated when police officers, instead of requesting him to leave the area before a body was removed, forcibly pinned him against a vehicle without warning. “I wasn’t necessarily scared. I was just shocked at what had happened,” Wade recounted for reporters on Monday. “If they had told me to leave earlier, the situation could have been avoided.”

Despite the aggressive approach, Wade initially chose not to file a police report due to a lack of physical injuries. However, after reflection, he decided to officially document the incident, stating, “Yeah, I filed a report.”

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams asserts that the officers’ alleged behavior does not represent departmental expectations. “To assault a member of the media while conducting your duties is intolerable,” said Williams, stressing the importance of allowing the media to perform their roles as vital components of society. He noted that every police officer has access to official policy that details and respects media rights, although he admitted that some officers may act “overzealous.”

Williams encouraged officers to set clear boundaries for media access by utilizing crime scene tape, although he recognized that circumstances may sometimes prevent this. He added that police should not demand the deletion of footage from journalists, emphasizing that “the media does have the right to be out there and to take photos or videos of a scene” as long as it doesn’t obstruct police work.

Further complicating the situation, Wade mentioned that police expressed concerns about how their actions were portrayed on social media. He alleged that officers claimed he was only there to present the department in a negative light, commenting on their handling of the deceased’s body.

“Upon rewatching the video, one of them is actually holding the guy by his hair,” Wade described, highlighting what he believed may have motivated the police’s aggressive actions.

In light of this incident, the Police Department has stated they are investigating the matter thoroughly.

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