Kurt Bugeja Coster
Traffic police concerned about health and safety
PS Malcolm Mifsud's helmet lies metres away from where he was thrown off his motorcycle earlier this year raising concerns among his colleagues about their health and safety. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi.
The traffic police are once again worried about their health and safety after one of their own broke his leg in an accident last week.
Constable Emanuel Pisani was driving along It-Telgħa t'Alla w Ommu, limits of Naxxar, when the motorcycle he was riding skidded on the wet tarmac, sources said. He knocked his shin against the curb, breaking it in three places.
The traffic police are not provided with any effective protective clothing and have been asking for it for the past years. One of them said that had they been issued with the proper trousers, PC Pisani would not have been hurt so badly. "Riding trousers have shin guards in an inside pocket and had he been wearing them, he would probably not have broken his leg," he said.
Some trousers also contain the bulletproof material, kevlar.
The same issue was raised earlier this year when Sergeant Malcolm Mifsud also skidded on wet tarmac, slammed into a lamp post and was thrown off his motorcycle in Great Siege Street, Floriana.
Similarly, his colleagues had attributed his life-threatening injuries to the fact that he was not wearing any protective clothing.
The force had said it was actively deciding among several uniform samples it had received but the traffic police are still wearing the same clothes, similar to that worn by the rest of the force, except for gloves and boots that are also used by the mounted police.
When contacted again, the force this time said information on the purchase of the equipment was not in the public interest.
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Joe Anastasi
Nov 26th 2009, 21:07
Sorry to read about another copper coming a cropper on our lousy roads!!!
The issue of safety apparel for police motorcyclists has been going on for a while. Why has it taken so long. Are the authorities so selfish? Are they waiting for another tragedy before they do anything?
Most traffic cops are keen and extremely competant motorcyclists. When they ride their own bikes they wear full protective gear, yet when on duty they are unable to do this.
Government blows millions haphazardly, yet it skimps on the safety of it's police.
We really need some explanations, and I bet so do they.
Chris Ellul
Nov 26th 2009, 12:12
While I agree that the police should be given adequate gear to ensure that their safety is protected at all times while they are performing their duties, I believe that the issue of safety for motorcyclists riding in Malta goes well beyond wearing protective clothing.
In my view, the main reason for people skidding on motorcycles is the very poor quality of tarmac used to lay Maltese roads. The fact that many roads do not have the correct camber contributes further to the number of accidents.
While I ride a motorbike in far more heavily congested London on a daily basis with full confidence, I would not want to see my worst enemy riding a motorcycle in Malta, irrespective of whether the road is wet or dry.
All said, prudence remains the magic word for all you riders!
George Schembri Orland
Nov 26th 2009, 10:48
Sorry to hear about the injuries suffered by this policeman at the Telgha Ta'Alla u Ommu. This particular hill is very dangerous not only in the wet but also on dry days as a coating of fine dust covers the whole length and width of this hill and renders it very slippery especially to motorbike riders.
All motorbike riders should wear protective clothing especially regular users. Today this type of clothing is quite reasonably priced and I don't think that the police force should economise in this sector. The traffic police are doing a reasonably good job and should be well protected from injuries. I would also like to point out that all policeman who direct traffic should wear some kind of filter masks as the inhalation of exhaust smoke whilst on this kind of duty can be detrimental to their well being.