Drunk man threatened Police Commissioner
In a drunken stupor, Jeffrey Cilia warned Police Commissioner John Rizzo that he was his biggest enemy and that included his wife, their children and their children’s children.
The warning came as Mr Cilia, a former police inspector, was sitting in his white BMW X5 outside the police headquarters in Floriana and Mr Rizzo was trying to persuade him to get out, a court heard yesterday.
Mr Cilia stands charged with threatening Mr Rizzo, Assistant Police Commissioner Lawrence Cauchi and Superintendent Dominic Micallef on March 29 at about 9.30 p.m.
He also denies threatening Police Inspector Louise Calleja and damaging the front door of her Sliema home on the same night.
The incident started at Ms Calleja’s home and Mr Cilia then drove to the headquarters where he spat on the Police Commissioner’s car and told a policeman stationed at the main gate that “the Nationalists gave him that”.
A mobile squad car arrived on the scene and Mr Cilia drove off.,according PC Jeffrey Abela, who was in one of two cars following him. He said they lost him because the police car could not match the power of the BMW.
He was later spotted again and Mr Cilia drove back to the police headquarters.
At one point, Mr Rizzo, accompanied by Mr Cauchi and Mr Micallef, came out of the police depot and Mr Rizzo spoke to him.
PC Abela, PC Alessio Spiteri and PC Michael Galdes recalled that Mr Cilia called Mr Rizzo a “cabbage from Cospicua” and swore at all of them.
He told them: “F*** the uniform you wear”. When an officer searched his car, he told him: “What are you expecting to find? Your mother?”
The case continues.
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Kirsten Sacco
Jul 21st 2012, 15:50
'according PC Jeffrey Abela, who was in one of two cars following him. He said they lost him because the police car could not match the power of the BMW.'
PROSET mela jekk ikollna xi criminal bil BMW jista jaharbilom il pulizija!!BEWARE popolin!!
oliver bouvett
Jul 21st 2012, 15:23
For the information of all readers. Police all over Malta try their best to silence down thugs and bring them to justice but when it comes to thugs being prosecuted the court seems to give little punishment to the criminals or so called thugs and isn't enough to keep them from going back to criminality, this demotivates a lot the police force in general.
Another thing is the limited budget allocated to the Police Force, as they need a generous amount of money to continue doing their jobs in a safe manner and to continue upgrading their equipment and training.
Apart from the mentioned above some have to keep in mind that Police are humans too and cannot do the impossible, still they struggle in every manner possible to keep on going, always following the parameters and limitations imposed on them.
John Cole Smith
Jul 21st 2012, 12:59
Whilst I weep, I Thank The Times Of Malta, in the Name of all those who suffer quietly day in day out, and no one comes to their pleas to mercy.
C Muscat
Jul 21st 2012, 12:54
Ahjar il-pulizija jaqbdu mal-kriminali milli ma xulxin!
M Cassar
Jul 21st 2012, 21:55
The police are obliged to weed out criminal behaviour whether it is in the general public or within their ranks. Rotten apples can crop up everywhere and one cannot simply turn a blind eye because that person wears a uniform or is a professional or whatever. When good people turn a blind eye, whole institutions can become corrupt. So well done for investigating any behaviour which is threatening, irrespective of who was involved!
John Cole Smith
Jul 21st 2012, 11:43
I think and believe most of the general public and the vast majority of the Police Force, though they would not approve of the way, Mr. Cilia had portrayed his argument, deep in their hearts, wish that they had the guts, in view that Rizzo ducks behind his long cap , in-sigma and a massive battalion, to do at least the same, if not worse.
To call the present Police Commissioner a Cabbage from Cospicua, is plain simply unasked for, it hurts the feeling of the South. On the other hand, Cabbage is unfit in this case. One still has to find a word to describe the incompetence of this Rizzo.
Rizzo's great incompetence, apart from, bringing doom and gloom on each of the members of the Police Corps, has been both de-motivational, and a quasi-total apathy builder. The Corps are today in shambles, divided, and broken, fed peanuts for salaries, and not always paid for overtime.
This compare rather badly, when Company Directors are brought into court, for failing to pay an employee for a couple of Bank Holidays. This shows the Anarchical frame of mind of Rizzo. Laws do not apply to him.
In General, Police members that are on a beat, with their little black jotters and a book of citations, are revenue getters for the whole of the community. This is not always the case.
The other argument of how untrustworthy Rizzo could be, emanates from the Melting Pot of Paceville. Why does one refer to this Hamlet?, It is because, this locality has always been , in a context of the Wild West. Plain and Simple Lawless.
The Commercial and Residential Property Owners of this Locality, had high hopes, when Rizzo was made. Today they call Rizzo the Usher of a handful of Thugs who have Mega Money Raking Interests in Paceville. Amongst these are those living off prostitution in clubs and on the street, drug dealers, and bar owners operating outside their licenses.
One question that Rizzo MUST answer to the general public, is whether these interests that operate without impunity, are in fact paying weekly hand-outs to any member of the force, in exchange to break the law.
YES OR NO?
I would fully comprehend, if there is a case whereby a person offends, in a highly covert operation, that proves difficulty to detect, but when in Paceville an Open Air Bar in St George's Road, Paceville, St. Julian's, plays ear blasting music till 07.00am in the morning, it is just plain simply, sending out a clear message that the way Rizzo handles cases like these, is for everyone to see.
The major practice involved in curtailing these callous law breakers is as follows:
Five Star, Four Star Hotels, Residential Blocks and Residents, start calling upon the Force to make lawbreakers adhere to the Law. The Law states the following: Bars should close their doors at 11.00pm, music should not be heard from the Streets. Music could be played, behind closed doors till 04.00am. At 04.00 all establishments should completely, close their doors to the public.
One particular establishment which is an Open Air Restaurant, and has been hiding behind the Title of Family Entertainment, which has been also appeared as an Item mentioned in the Dossier tabled in the House of Representatives, by MP Edwin Vassallo, regarding a very misleading and incomplete view of the happenings of Paceville, operates everyday outside the law.
The Police, working at the Police Station in St. Julian's are worth more than, their weight in Gold, they are strong , helpful and relentless. They sympathize and empathize. They do their job to the letter.
But, they are working within the parameters of Rizzo, no one else's. These poor chaps, at times walk up from St. Julian’s to Paceville, and of course back, in mid July's heat, to actually silence, some Thug. Once they set back a couple of paces. the usual Thug, re-opens the music at FULL BLAST.
It has also become Comical, to see how Thugs organise themselves at every corner to cut the music instantly on sighting a Police Car or the Boys on the Beat. Plain clothes Police are out of question, they are never deployed.
Now where is the flaw in all this? It goes various ways; A Thug continues to operate with impunity. The poor tax payers continue to pay Rizzo's Salary, in vain. Tourist continue, not just to grumble, but request to change hotel, at the expense of owners, and continue to request refunds, from tour operators. The residents, continue to fall sick, with their ear drums shattered, and with hardly any nights of sleep, that will drive anyone crazy, and in Paceville, there were three suicides, that never got reported, for their gravity, and shame they would bring upon the Authorities.
Moreover for those honest taxpayers, who heard the PM talk about protecting the general public, through investing in some technology, here there is no technology involved. It is sheer common sense that these THUGS should be charged every time they break the LAW. They should pay fines, which double or treble according to how repetitive the offense is.
The general public is both being deprived of Justice , Law and Order, but in view that contributors fork out their hard earned salary, in comparison to the Thugs law breaking Daily cash intake, who never contributes to pay society for his wrong doings, further deprives the general public from moneys or punishment owed to society, itself.
When these THUGS are not Charged and subsequently fined, there are three basic things that could be happening.
1) Bribery
2) Tall Orders not to prosecute
3) Orders not being Followed.
Before everyone's dream to see RIZZO resign in total shame, comes through, he should at least solve this mystery. Then, Rizzo should self-imprison himself in an apartment next door to some Thug, in order to pay for his shortcomings, in the respect of Paceville residents, in what, was a peaceful Hamlet and he himself changed into a HELL HOLE.
Regarding the spitting on the car, that was pure waste.
P Bonnici
Jul 21st 2012, 18:48
The PN inherited a politically corrupt violent police force but unfortunately they did not reform the police force.
The police force needs better pay and training.
Please choose the reason of your report below: