On Friday Corporal Gino Peck, long-time intelligence cop assigned to Precinct Two, was sentenced to fines totaling six hundred and fifty dollars. Peck was convicted last Monday of possessing prohibited and unlicensed ammunition, following a search of his home by the Gang Suppression Unit in 2012. As he awaited sentencing Friday, top brass of the Belize Police Department, rank and file officers, members of COLA and other supporters gathered outside the courtroom in solidarity. At just after midday, Peck paid his fines and he and his family headed for the sanctuary of home. Mike Rudon went to Peck’s home and has the story.
Mike Rudon, Reporting
Corporal Gino Peck is happy to be a free man, glad to be back with his friends, immediate family and church family. For the career cop, the ordeal of two years is over, but while he says that his escaping prison time is a miracle, he could not get the vindication he sought.
Gino Peck
Gino Peck, Convicted Cop
“It’s a conviction against my record. If I continue to be a law enforcement officer, which is not really supposed to be the right thing. Hence for that the reason I embark on an appeal which will be a next matter that is yet to come.”
Mike Rudon
“How does it make you feel personally? Apart from what happens with your career on the police force, how do you feel personally to have been convicted of something? Do you feel that justice was done?”
Gino Peck
“Really I felt abused, I felt violated; I felt…they knock me down and I had never believed one day that I would be on the other side of the law defending myself.”
But he was, and in the end he was convicted of possessing prohibited and unlicensed ammunition. Whether in his capacity as a policeman he had the authority to do so is still the matter of much dispute, but Peck genuinely feels that he did no wrong.
Gino Peck
“I always believed that I was in the full exercise of my authority as a police officer to hold, to keep and to carry firearms and ammunition of various caliber which is used for operational purposes and as a resource of the department. And I also thought that I was only doing my job and my commanders, more than one, always used to remind us that we are police officers; that we need not have any license to carry these types of ammunitions or weapons. As a result of that, I always believed that I was always legally holding those or carrying whatever ammunition or weapons that we use to work with.”
And because of that belief, Peck remained on active duty even after he was initially arrested and charged for the offence. There has been much speculation that Peck’s prosecution had personal origins, and indeed, it is clear that under this current top brass this case would not have gone to court.
Gino Peck
“Honestly, I don’t want to speculate. I do not, I am not here to judge the circumstances or the reason or the purpose for whatever is done. So I am not too sure as to whether that is the case or whether that’s not the case. It will remain as that; I don’t want to speculate.”
Mike Rudon
“Fair enough. What happens now? Did you report to work this morning?”
Gino Peck
“Yes, they initially indicated to me that I should report to work because I am attached to precinct two under the command of Superintendent Grinage. And he initially told me that I should report to work and that’s what I did this morning.”
Mike Rudon
“Could you give me an idea…was it back to work as normal?”
Gino Peck
“I still kinda feel like you know, you know. But I try to maintain my composure and stay focus. I must remember that we are here to provide service to the community and that is what I intend and continue to do.”
So what’s next for this career cop, convicted of a serious offence? Today he is back on the job, and if Corporal Gino Peck has his wish, that is how it will remain.
Gino Peck
“I have made law enforcement as my career and I would wish to continue as a law enforcement officer in this country because I see where a lot of the work that we do, we could make a change in our community. But you must always do good and do the right thing.”
Peck is currently working on appealing his case. If he is victorious the conviction would be overturned and his record would be untarnished.
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