Police training in the use of firearms

In reply to Edward C. Delia's queries in his letter Shooting Incident At White Rocks, (May 8), all police officers, whether posted in districts or in specialised branches, attend a session every month all year round on firearm handling and use at the Police Academy. Apart from its theoretical aspect, this session also includes target practice with live ammunition at one of the ranges of the Police Force. Mr Delia may put his mind at rest that firearms training is given by qualified and certified instructors in the field and conforms to international standards.

As regards Mr Delia's second question, it is the policy of the Malta Police Force that police officers actively participate in overseas courses and seminars in the different areas of policing. In fact, last year, Malta registered a marked increase in its participation in European Police College courses for senior police officers and also participated intensely in the College's exchange programme. Maltese police officers of different ranks are also sent abroad from time to time to attend informative seminars and sessions in specialised fields such as immigration, counter-terrorism, drugs and cybercrime among others. When deemed necessary, foreign trainers are brought over to Malta to lecture to a selected number of officers in "train the trainer" courses and this on a variety of subjects.

Mr Delia might like to know that the Malta Police Force is well in line with regard to training of its men and women as compared to other EU countries which boast of a similar or slightly larger police force than ours. The shooting incident at White Rocks was an unfortunate one-off event, which certainly cannot, in any way, impinge on the way local training is delivered to our officers.