Police guidelines may be published

When and how a police officer should use a firearm is stipulated by internal guidelines that cover a multitude of other topics.

These guidelines, which include regulations on the use of pepper spray, tazer guns and how strip searches should be conducted, are not public.

However, this may change as the subject of whether to publish these guidelines will be on the agenda of a management review committee the Home Affairs Ministry will set up shortly.

Strip search guidelines were only published by the police corps last year after The Sunday Times of Malta made a request through the Freedom of Infor-mation Act.

The rules governing strip searches were subject to controversy two years ago in the wake of alleged police misconduct when two Sliema local councillors were strip searched at the depot after being questioned about a computer hard drive. Today’s Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, then still a criminal lawyer, had argued with other prominent lawyers that guidelines that regulate police behaviour should be public for transparency’s sake.

Police assistant commissioner Pierre Calleja had at the time suggested in an interview with The Sunday Times of Malta that these guidelines should be annexed to the law rather than remain internal documents.

Asked whether he will take up this suggestion, a spokeswoman for Dr Mallia said the issue was “paramount” in the list of subjects discussed between the minister and the Police Commissioner.

“It will no doubt be addressed in the coming weeks with the setting up of an ad hoc committee,” she said.

She added the minister was having meetings with the Police Commissioner and the Police Association to discuss and address various matters concerning improvements within the corps, “particularly in the new sense of management the ministry wishes to recommend”.

No further information was given as to the committee’s remit, when it will be set up and who would be its members.