Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Belize - Lynette Mai of Santa Elena Town makes us proud. A good role model

Santa Elena Town glad to see one of their own return in triumph!

Lynette Mai is on vacation from Los Angeles, visiting her mother. Her father Sylvestre Mai is deceased, but her mother Rosita Mai is still here. Lynette was born at the Red Creek section of Santa Elena Town. I can see the Western Highway go through the Red Creek Police checkpoint, from our location on the hill of our suburb in Green Parrot Valley, about 150 feet lower in elevation. Lynette attended St. Andrew Anglican Primary school and Sacred Heart High School ( called a college here ) over in San Ignacio Town. Lynette graduated from High School and immigrated to Los Angeles, California when she was only 16 years old. For a year, she did baby sitting jobs and house cleaning. After her house cleaning, baby sitting year, she got a job as a waitress. With this cash flow she was able to go to night school at a Community College and got her Associate Degree. With that piece of academic paper in hand, she was able to apply for the L.A. police department. For the last 16 years she has worked her way up the ladder of promotions in the L.A. police force.
On this vacation visit she gave a lecture, or seminar to the National Political Police Force detachment we have in this country of Belize, over in the conference room of the Police department in San Ignacio town across the Macal River.
She told the assembled police officers what it took to become a police officer in California. She described her six months of training, oral and written exams,theory and practical policing excercises. She also described the grueling physical exercises such as a 12 minute half mile run. The obstacle course with a high wooden wall and other endurance physical training and tests. This is not like our pot bellied police officers that local police CEO SINGH talks about on TV with disgust here. As a graduate of the police academy she was put on probation for one year. She worked three twelve hour shifts, each day of work. Then she spent two and a half years, which is a mandatory requirement as a patrol officer. After seven years service,she sat and passed successfully the Sergeants and Detective exams in 2001. Nine years later she is now a Shift Detective Supervisor for the Los Angeles police department.
She described the rigid uniform codes and personal appearance. The annual physical requirements one must pass as well as medical to keep your job. Civil service promotions depend on competitive testing against others. High score gets offered the job. She probably already has spoken by now with the Benque Viejo police detachment, as she would have returned back to her life and career in Los Angeles on November 7th.
We are rather proud of our 34 year old Ms Lynette Mai here in Santa Elena Town, in Western Belize. The "little Switzerland of the Americas".

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