Police - positive results

The Malta Police Force last week commemorated its 189th anniversary. During this long period, the police have undergone many changes and adventures. Some vicissitudes are fine and honourable. Others were rather disgraceful.

There was the time when police hooligans and rioters were for all intents and purposes partners in violence and crime. This is being said because it is the primary duty of the police to preserve public order and to prevent and investigate crime.

Disgraceful misdeeds

In the infamous Tal-Barrani episode in 1986, the police prevented the holding of a mass meeting at Zejtun which had been sanctioned by the Constitutional Court. The ransacking of the Curia in 1984, within sight of the General Headquarters without the intervention of the police was condemned by the people. These misdeeds followed the burning of the Allied Newspapers building in 1979, with the police failing to take action against the looters and arsonists. These are blots that are not easily forgotten in the police records. All these misdeeds reached he peak of scandal in manhandling crowds.

Those were the bad times. Since 1987, with the restoration of the Nationalist Party to government, things started to change for the better. A year later the Police Academy was established. Courses are held for recruits with a number of core and other subsidiary subjects. The latter were meant to further the education of recruits from primary to secondary with a good dose of culture thrown in.

There were also specialist courses for commissioned officers and sergeants in such subject as Criminal Law and Code of Procedure. Other subjects include Scene of Crime Investigation, Crime Prevention, including Neighbourhood Watch and Victim Support schemes. More specialist subjects including Train the Trainer instruction, drug enforcement , first aid, pistol shooting and Criminal Court procedure.

With the introduction of the rights of retiring on full pension after 25 years' service, some of the bad eggs decided to seek new pastures. As a result, greater discipline enforced in the Police Department

Commissioner of Police

The Police Force found a man of integrity, capability, determination, a complete sense of justice and a creative mind in John Rizzo, the new Commissioner.

Under his command, the force has gone from strength to strength. Its service was improved. This was the result of the inculcation in all ranks of the important principle of the police having to be of service to the people.

The promotion of deserving senior officers to assistant commissioners helped improve efficiency. The duties assigned to each are being performed with zeal, dedication and an exemplary degree of efficiency.

Investigation of serious crimes in which Commissioner Rizzo had a leading hand had proved successful in a comparatively short time. There was a particular incident where Mr Rizzo proved himself true to his oath of office of not showing fear or favour.

Illegal immigrants

The problem of illegal immigration has escalated. This is no fault of the police. These poor desperate individuals who feel hunted and terrorised in their own countries dare to face the perils of the sea and unseaworthy boats, paying good money. As ill luck would have it, they are forced by storms at sea to land in Malta. Their intention is to seek asylum in Europe after landing in Sicily.

It is hardly fair to blame the police for the psychological stress and tension felt by these immigrants while in detention. It is surely not the fault of the authorities that it takes time to sort out their case. The most acute problem is that they arrive on our shores without any personal documents. Besides, the information they give orally is not always correct. In fact they often vary the name of their country of origin.

When they do ask for refugee status, the investigation that this needs obviously takes time. The number of personnel at the refugee office is not enough to cater for the ever increasing number of illegal immigrants. The police are working under stress in such a delicate situation. Thy have not been accused of inhuman treatment. Actually the opposite is the case. The immigrants are treated in the best possible way, clothed and fed, in the circumstances of their plight.

The drugs situation

The drug section of the police has registered one success after another. Drug barons have been charged in court, together with small-time peddlers and abusers. Maybe they are not the padrini, but they certainly are powerful links in the infamous trade of peddling drugs, especially to youths. Here, despite efforts to educate the younger generation against the abuse of drugs, the overall number of abusers has not decreased.

During this time of the year, with the organisation of large rave parties ands discos, abuse of Ecstasy and cocaine is rife. It is just not possible for the police to search each and every partygoer. Besides, very often the abuse occurs before arrival at the party.

Honour, justice and devotion

Archbishop Joseph Mercieca in a homily during the anniversary Mass in the chapel at police headquarters pointed out certain values that every member of the force should have. The police should serve the people by being an example in honouring the moral values that are necessary in a Christian country like ours.

The police are there, the Archbishop pointed out, to make sure that justice is honoured in accordance with the laws of the State. This is possible if they beware of the snare of corruption. Omertà is dishonest. It becomes illegal if it is not only silence when questioned about a case of corruption. This may give the impression that nothing illegal or criminal has been perpetrated.

So the conduct of all members of the police force should be based on honour, justice and devotion.