Police reply on ‘failure to act’ over 112 calls

I refer to the articles ‘Police ‘fail’ to act on domestic violence call’ (The Sunday Times, May 29) and ‘Police fail to explain inaction over 112 calls’ (June 5) concerning police failure to explain inaction over 112 calls following information given by Weronica Kacperska of an alleged domestic violence incident at Sliema.

Following the publication of the first article, the police launched an internal investigation to establish the facts. It resulted that Ms Kacperska, who made the two 112 calls, had also filed, on the day of the alleged incident, a complaint on the police’s electronic complaint system over the alleged shortcomings by the police.

Further investigations revealed that upon receiving the first call, the operator at Police General Headquarters immediately dispatched the information to Sliema police station so that action could be taken. It transpired that the sergeant and constable on duty at the time were attending to another emergency call in Msida where a person had to be conveyed to hospital after he skidded with his motorcycle.

Minutes later, the two officers proceeded to Sliema to deal with the alleged domestic violence call; however, when they arrived at the location given to them by the Sliema telephone orderly, they found that no argument was taking place.

The internal investigation also revealed that although the two officers went to the street address given to them, they failed to visit the residence of the Ms Kacperska so that the latter could indicate to them the window of the flat opposite her patio from where the alleged domestic violence abuse was taking place.

In her first telephone call, Ms Kacperska had specifically instruc­ted the telephone operator at Police General Headquarters that, as she could not indicate the address of the flat where the alleged abuse was taking place, any police officers reporting to the incident had first to make contact with her so that she could direct them accordingly.

It seemed that this detail was not relayed to the Sliema police station. Although it can be ascertained that this was a genuine mistake on the part of the telephone orderly, which sometimes happens when situations of panic occur, the Police administration assures that appropriate action will be taken regarding this omission.

In the course of investigations, all officers involved, as well as Ms Kacperska, were interviewed.

The Police also managed to trace the apartment where the alleged domestic violence abuse was taking place and preliminary investigations revealed that at the time indicated by Ms Kacperska, an argument between a couple was taking place where the alleged victim suffered a slap from her foreign boyfriend.

The Police are still investigating.