Editorial

When things go wrong for governments, observers normally divide into one of two camps. Some adhere to the "cock-up theory": things go wrong because government bodies have bungled something or made a mistake. Others advocate the "conspiracy theory": governments are so cunning that they have secretly fixed the outcome of a particular event to hoodwink us. "Cover-ups" are normally a part of the conspiracy theory.

In the last few months there have been three serious incidents involving the Malta Police Force which have inevitably given rise to speculation on whether they were the results of cock-ups - police incompetence - or conspiracy and cover-ups. The first occurred in March, in the fevered run-up to the general election, when the then leader of Alternattiva, Harry Vassallo, was presented with a warrant for his arrest. The warrant had actually been issued some five months earlier, but was only served three days before polling day. The fact that a Net News journalist had enquired about the warrant just hours before the police served it supported the feeling that this was the result of a conspiracy against AD.

An internal police inquiry has just reported. It has exonerated the police of any wrongdoing, but has instead exposed a cock-up of considerable proportions with bureaucratic mishaps piled on police mismanagement. No conspiracy, then.

The second incident, which occurred in April, concerned the death of Nicholas Azzopardi who, before he died in hospital, alleged that he had been brutally beaten and then thrown off the bastions outside police headquarters while still in custody. A magisterial inquiry has just absolved the police force of any wrongdoing and concluded that Mr Azzopardi did not suffer "aggression, beatings or violence" at the hands of the police. The Azzopardi family are still not convinced and while, for reasons which are not entirely convincing, the public has not yet been given access to the full report by the AG, there is no reason to suppose that, when it is available, it will indicate that there was any police cover-up.

The third incident occurred in June when eyewitnesses reported the brutal beating up of two handcuffed migrants, Suleiman Abubaker and Kaba Konate, in Paceville. An internal police investigation may lead in the coming days, we are informed, to one or more police officers being charged in connection with the beatings. If so, no cover-up, no conspiracy, just police misconduct and indiscipline. Another cock-up.

All these serious incidents, involving as they do alleged lawlessness or incompetence in our law enforcers, must give government pause. What do they tell us about police leadership? About their efficiency, discipline and training? Police officers are legally permitted to use force and their superiors expect them to do so when appropriate. But do some policemen develop an attitude that they are in authority over society and are somehow above the law? Rather than having internal police investigations or even magisterial inquiries, would it be more helpful to countering the notion of conspiracies or cover-ups if an independent police complaints commission were established?

How can police capabilities be improved so such cock-ups are avoided and confidence restored? It is important that the Police Commissioner learns lessons from what has occurred and takes steps to rectify them.