Off duty Detention Service officer catches escaped migrants
An off-duty Detention Service officer last night arrested two migrants who had earlier escaped from Safi Detention centre.
The officer was sitting on his doorstep at home in Kirkop at about 9.30 p.m. when he spotted the two migrants walking by.
He stopped them and asked for their identification papers, and when none were produced, he arrested them and phoned the detention camp to check on the identity of the escaped migrants.
A total of five migrants had escaped from detention. One was recaptured shortly after and two remain at large.
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Francesco Zerafa
Aug 6th 2009, 20:11
Well done my friend :) you're a true hero! i would like to see you with a medal for courage and honour
J Fenech
Aug 6th 2009, 18:31
Well done!! may he serve as an example to his colleagues. This is the kind of public officers this country needs if it wants to stop itself turning into an anarchy.
Denis Catania
Aug 6th 2009, 17:52
How about awarding every police officer, AFM with a life insurance policy. From a comment I read on the timesofmalta.com, Malta does not give life insurance policies to police officers and AFM. Please someone correct me if that comment I read was wrong.
Denis Catania
Aug 6th 2009, 16:39
@Mario Tabone: Now I agree with you.
Mario Tabone
Aug 6th 2009, 12:25
Denis Catania, You miss my point altogether. I am proud of our colleague's actions too. However I bet if you ask him he would agree with me when I say that those of us in the services, be it police,army,detention service ,nurses or whatever, join because we want to make a difference. It does not matter if we are off duty, we are what we are and will react according to our training.
Any action to give credit to this person should be done within his department where his actions will obviously go on his record which will be taken into account when he is in line for promotion etc.
However , talking about nominating / giving him Gieh ir Republika which as far as I am aware is the highest decoration issued on our islands is embarressing and should not be belittled, after all he has only arrested two fugitives. Let's not get carried away but give praise where its due and in the proper way.
Again a very well done to this colleague
Denis Catania
Aug 5th 2009, 16:27
Mario Tabone he wasn't at work he was sitting and relaxing on his stoop/steps. He sprung up to action to help make Malta safer. He didn't have to do that and put himself in harms way.
David Portelli
Aug 5th 2009, 14:13
Suppose these people are coming here pretending to be refugees,instead they are coming here and abusing of our governments stupid sytem of immigration.Getting drunk at Paceville,protesing,escaping from detention centres...What are they still doing here? Our Government has never realished that we're fed up of them,and while they are getting everything free we are treated second class.
Mario Tabone
Aug 5th 2009, 13:15
For goodness sakes, get real !!!!!
While I also would like to say well done to this officer, he is only doing his job like all other public civil servants.
Talking of promotions or even Gieh ir Repubblika is absurd.
As a serving police officer myself we join the service because we want to make a difference and we do what is necessary at any given time in order to uphold law and order and serve the country.
Joe Fenech
Aug 5th 2009, 12:00
Get them all out. We're spending millions of our resources on these people who all they want is an easy life!
Denis Catania
Aug 5th 2009, 01:42
Good looking out officer. Pictures of all escapees should be posted on the news and later at every post office and police stations in Malta.
Ronald Galea
Aug 4th 2009, 21:31
One of the few with guts.
Stronger hands than gonzi himself.
hopes he get the employee of the year!
Thanks very much
muscat pat
Aug 4th 2009, 21:25
Micro Malta cannot be the refuge of all Africa! This is political correctness gone overboard! I Help people when I want to and if I want to. Do gooders cannot force people to help ,when help is rapidly becoming down right arrogance! We fought for our freedom and worked hard for our well-being. It is about time that these illegal immigrants do the same in their own country. Refugees are a different story, they need our help, but the others should NOT abuse the refugees plight!
Dr. Nathan Pardi
Aug 4th 2009, 20:25
Congratulations! As a fellow civil servant (in the USA), I am proud of this gentleman's dedication to duty. His actions may have saved someone's life or property, as desperate and apparently lawless individuals can be highly unstable, at best. At the very least, just imagine the taxpayer resources saved in not having to mount a full-on search for these criminals, who had no legal right to be in our country in the first place. We could use some good, alert law enforcement officers in Detroit (several thousand would be a good start).
Galea. L
Aug 4th 2009, 16:58
Chev Chris Galea
That is a disgrace by the authorities.
Emmanuel Scicluna
Aug 4th 2009, 16:53
Great job officer!! People like you really deserves promotions. We are very proud for your dedication and loyalty of your job.. Keep up the good work..
c. camilleri
Aug 4th 2009, 14:45
That is what we call commitment to duty. Well done. May we have others like him.
Alexander Morana
Aug 4th 2009, 14:34
Uncle Tom's Cabin a' la Maltese Lol.....
Chris Mifsud
Aug 4th 2009, 13:34
This officer has done an excellent job and should be rewarded for it .
The illegal immigrants who escaped should be deported for breaking the law , not once when they illegaly entered Malta , but twice when they descided to escape .
Deport them right away .
Chev Chris Galea
Aug 4th 2009, 13:21
Members of the public service are rewared or given a medal if they have carried out an act of bravery, risked their lives to save someone. As these irregular immigrants did not threaten or were not armed with weapons or knives, I do not think that a Medal should be awarded. A great problem will erupt if this officer is awarded for such a simple act while forgetting the other most spectacular acts of courage in Malta.
Everyday, people do acts of bravery without being rewarded. The MOST genuine act which was not rewarded, I remember a few years back when a Gozitan police officer still working in Malta on patrol duty - PC Felix Sammut saved a boy from a burning Alfa Romeo. In this case, the Police Corps, never rewarded or promoted the officer involved. I think this accident should be reconsidered.
lgalea
Aug 4th 2009, 13:11
How about the authorities publishing the photos of every illegal immigrant that escapes so that the people who spot him/her will be able to report them to he authorities?
Alex Sciberras
Aug 4th 2009, 12:58
Great job!
A Camenzuli
Aug 4th 2009, 12:46
How Great Thou Art!!
GODFREY PISANI
Aug 4th 2009, 12:35
good job well done ,,this is a true service man
J callus
Aug 4th 2009, 12:35
Reward should be nothing less than en extra months' full-pay and a medal.
Joanne Micallef
Aug 4th 2009, 12:10
Good Job so glad to hear about a civil servant who takes his job seriously
A Camenzuli
Aug 4th 2009, 12:08
Int Ragel Kbir!!
Kemm hawn min ha jdum jaqbez ghalihom dawn il-klandestini! M'intomx taraw bizzejjed!!
victor borg
Aug 4th 2009, 11:07
good job you are a true officer 24 hours service keep it up
Mario Micallef
Aug 4th 2009, 10:56
Well Done..Big Job...this guy must be rewarded by the country...
Mark Anthony Vella
Aug 4th 2009, 10:46
Great Job Sir!!!!!
K Camilleri
Aug 4th 2009, 10:39
That is what I call a love to the job and an excellent service to his country! Great Job Sir!! Thank God we have still people like this officer serving our country!
clifton gatt
Aug 4th 2009, 10:38
well done........haqqu gieh ir republika........
Charles Micallef
Aug 4th 2009, 10:37
This man should be commended.
He is an excellent example to others in similar official positions and who unfortunately turn their heads the other way when they are off duty!
Norbert Bugeja
Aug 4th 2009, 10:33
Great job this congratulation to this detention service officer
He deserves a reward
Alex Spiteri
Aug 4th 2009, 10:33
This man should be awarded 'Gieh ir-Republika'.
Mike Scott
Aug 4th 2009, 10:24
Very good work by this officer,dedication to duty and his country.
Andrew Sciberras
Aug 4th 2009, 10:21
a big round of applause goes for the officer who cought the escaped migrants. he should be rewarded accourdingly!!! as for the other migrants who are still "free" should be cought as soon as possible!
lgalea
Aug 4th 2009, 10:09
CONGRATULATIONS Sir.
You did an excellent job.
The Authorities should give you a promotion and expel the ILLEGAL immigrants forthwith.
Colin Camilleri
Aug 4th 2009, 10:00
send the migrants back home now!
Keith D'Amato
Aug 4th 2009, 09:55
Great job! This man deserves a reward !
Joe Cordina
Aug 4th 2009, 09:49
This man should be commended. Good job Sir