A committee member of the Police Association during the 1957 War Memorial wreath-laying in Floriana.

The setting up of the Malta Police Association was first mentioned in the 1950 Malta Labour Party electoral programme and subsequently in the 1953 and 1955 MLP manifestos.

In May 1955, W. A. Muller visited Malta at the invitation of Prime Minister Dom Mintoff to advise on improving the organisation and efficiency of the police. In his report, Muller recommended a full investigation into the conditions of service, namely pay, hours of duty and leave. He also recommended that police conditions should be fixed independently of those of the civil service and that, in the interest of efficiency, justice and on general principle, the police department should in these matters be divorced from the civil service.

The Police Association was established on July 25, 1955, to enable inspectors and the other ranks to consider and bring to the notice of police authorities and the Government all matters affecting the welfare and efficiency of the force other than questions of discipline, transfers, individual promotions and other matters affecting individuals.

The association, later established by the Police Regulations of 1960, the Police Ordinance of 1961, and Chapter 164 (Police Act), is independent of and not associated with any body outside the police service. Moreover, Maltese legislation granting trade union rights to workers does not extend to the police force.

The prohibition of membership of a trade union was mentioned in section 22 of the 1961 Police Ordinance and in section 34 of the Police Act. However, the Police Association became a member of the European Council of Police Unions.

In July 1955, Government granted a pay increase, and the pay for a constable rose from €1.60 to €1.94 per day. The Prime Minister assured that this could be regarded as an interim improvement and that the police would benefit from any general revision of civil service.

It was further agreed that Muller’s principle that police pay should be divorced from the civil service was then conceded.

Other achievements in the 1950s through the association were that the service, which performed in a temporary capacity, became reckonable in full; the introduction of an eight-hour tour of duty, which replaced the 12-hour tour of duty; promotions to the rank of sergeant and inspector were made by competitive examination; and the introduction of an open-collar type of uniform.

After 1955 there were a series of commissions and enquiries into the pay structure of the Malta Civil Service. In 1956, the Arton Wilson Commission recommended scales of pay which not only consolidated the general cost of living bonus of one Maltese lira per week, but also substantially increased the scales throughout. However, the Police Association protested against the recommended salaries.

In November 1960, another Police Salaries Commission was appointed, chaired by W.C. Johnson, with T. Elwood and C.R. Pulling as members. The Police Association prepared a Memorandum of Evidence and Other Written Statements in support of its claim. Its chief spokesman was Inspector, later Superintendent Paul Grech.

In its report, the Johnson Commission said that while the claims made by the association were high, and in some cases unrealistic, the commission felt the rates of pay proposed by Government were inadequate.

Moreover, it feared that if the rates proposed were implemented, the effect on the police force morale would have been disastrous. As a result, the police benefitted with from better salaries.

However, the commission also commented on the special position enjoyed by the police on retirement on full pension, with the result that there was a change in the pension law for those who joined the police force after January 18, 1962.

These new members were permitted to retire at the age of 55 or, if they completed 25 years service, on or after the age of 50.

Further achievements by the association were made in the 1960s after the 1969 Salaries (Anomalies) Commission published its report.

The police salaries were not included in this report as the association preferred to hold talks with the Administrative Secretary. Further talks were held with the Prime Minister George Borg Olivier, and in April 1970, Government approved retroactive salary increases.

The policeman has responsibilities and obligations which distinguish him from other civil service employees

As a result of other negotiations, members of the force were granted an overtime allowance for overtime work performed on Sundays and public holidays. The rate, which varied from €12.80 per month for constables to €23 per month for superintendents, debarred the granting of time off in lieu.

After the 1971 change in government, the association asked to hold the Police Association elections in terms of the Malta Police Ordinance. The request was kept pending for five years, and during the 1975-1976 talks regarding the revision of salaries for civil service employees, the association was not consulted as it was not constituted.

In 1976, Government approved the holding of the Police Associations elections, but little or no progress was made as regards conditions of service. In 1981, further negotiations were held between the Government and the association. The negotiations were held some days after Dom Mintoff, as minister of police, addressed members of the force on March 30, 1981.

After meetings with the Administrative Secretary, Government approved that the previous overtime allowance be consolidated in the basic salary, thus becoming pensionable. Members of the force became entitled to public holidays, and the average 47-and-a-half-hour week was reduced to 46.7 hours.

The extra duty on payment rate, a claim kept pending for five years, was substantially increased. Moreover, Government also approved the granting of ‘extra duty pay’ for hours worked over and above the normal working hours; but the remuneration was withdrawn after some months.

Further achievements were made in 1991 and 1992 with adjustments in the salary scale and the granting of monetary pay for overtime. But the association now claims that since 1993, the police have not been paid for overtime.

In October 2009, a judicial protest was filed against the Commissioner of Police claiming compensation for unpaid overtime.

Moreover, when in June 2012 a parliamentary question was made by Michael Falzon of the Labour Party, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the association’s claim was baseless. He also said the Government and the association were working together to arrive, as soon as possible, at new measures that would help consolidate police work and enhance members’ work conditions.

Meanwhile, in November 2011, the Prime Minister said he was in favour of allowing members of the police force to join a trade union. Joseph Muscat, then Leader of the Opposition, also declared that when in office he would grant this right.

But both leaders declared that members of the police force would not be given the right to strike. These promises, as well as others, were eventually included in the Labour Party and Nationalist Party electoral programmes.

It is hoped that conclusions in respect of police conditions will be based on good judgement, keeping in mind that the policeman has responsibilities and obligations which are peculiar to his calling and distinguish him from other civil service employees.