Medals awarded to 340 police officers

A total of 340 police officers were yesterday awarded medals for long and efficient service by Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg in a ceremony at Police Headquarters in Floriana.

The last time similar medals were awarded was in 1998. They are only awarded to serving members of the force.

Long service and good conduct medals were introduced in 1921 and were first awarded by the then British Governor in March 1922. They continued to be given until the late 1930s but not again until they were revamped in 1995 by the late Alfred Calleja, when he was Police Commissioner. The only medals the police received in the meantime were war medals.

There are various grades of the medal. The first is the long and efficient service medal, given to those who serve for 18 years. A bar, or clasp, is given to officers serving over 25 years and another clasp is given to those serving for over 30 years.

A total of 238 were awarded a long and efficient service medal, among whom were assistant commissioners Paul Debattista and Paul Sammut, superintendents Ray Vella Gregory, Antoine Casha and Peter Paul Zammit and inspectors Anthony Cassar, Walter Spiteri, Carmel Magri, John C. Ellul, Stephen Mallia, and Carmel Abdilla.

A number of police sergeants also received this medal, including two women, Marisa Bartolo and Marie Louise Grech.

Nine officers, including inspectors Norbert Ciappara, Raymond D'Anastas and Abraham Zammit, received the long and efficient services medal with one clasp, after serving for over 25 years.

Three received the long and efficient service medal with two clasps, having served for over 30 years. These were Inspector Mario Bonello and sergeants John Mallia and Anthony Falzon.

Six officers, including Deputy Commissioner Joseph Cachia, were given the 1st and 2nd clasps after having received the medal in the past.

A total of 69 officers were given the 1st clasp having previously been given the medal. These included Police Commissioner John Rizzo, assistant commissioners Andrew Seychell, Lawrence Cauchi, Josie Brincat and Michael Cassar, superintendents Bartholomeo Mula, Lawrence Cutajar and Raymond G. Zammit, and inspectors Angelo Caruana, Carlo Ellul and Anthony Agius.

Assistant commissioners Alfred Abela, Emanuel Cassar, Godfrey Scicluna, superintendents Joseph Buttigieg and Paul Camilleri and Inspector Peter Cordina were among the 15 to be awarded the 2nd clasp having completed over 30 years service.