Peter Paul Zammit’s style of decision making has failed to impress. His appointment as police commissioner was mired in controversy from day one. The appointment was among Joseph Muscat’s first decisions as Prime Minister, an appointment that should have never been made.
In no way do I doubt Zammit’s integrity. However, the fact that he was appointed from outside the corps, when an appointment from inside would have been more appropriate, given that there are senior police officers who have the experience and the acumen for the job, and his, alleged, too-close-for-comfort relationship with the Labour Party before he was appointed – media reports that he offered his services as legal procurator to the Labour Party up to a few days before the general election were never denied – meant that he came with a baggage that made him an inappropriate candidate for such a sensitive job.
Whether the government ‘is unhappy with his performance’ because he is not up to it (in which case it shouldn’t have appointed him in the first place), or because he has been embroiled in far too many controversies, which are tarnishing the reputation of the corps (and the government) or because the government wants to appoint someone else instead is anybody’s guess. Truth is that Muscat should have never appointed Zammit as police chief and now the police force is paying the price for his wrong decisions.
Zammit got embroiled in the John Dalli investigation a few days after his appointment, with Simon Busuttil demanding his resignation when he claimed that Zammit was not arraigning the former European Commissioner on bribery charges following ‘interference’ by Muscat. Busuttil is now facing a breach of privilege complaint in the House of Representatives over his claim.
Peter Paul Zammit’s appointment as police commissioner was mired in controversy from day one
Darryl Luke Borg, 27, was, wrongly prosecuted for a hold up and was remanded in custody for three days before the police arraigned somebody else, who pleaded guilty.
The Constitutional Court has now ruled that the police did not act negligently and that their suspicion of Mr Borg was justified.
The case, however, caused untold damage to the image of the police force. Unfortunately, the way the police chief handled the matter did not help to clear the air and put citizens’ minds at rest.
Former TVM journalist Norman Vella was arrested and had his mobile and tablet confiscated while on duty as an immigration official at Malta International Airport.
His arrest followed allegations that he had taken pictures of two government officials in a restricted area at the airport. The court declared that there was no reasonable suspicion that Mr Vella had committed a crime and ordered that his iPad and iPhone be returned immediately by the police.
On a less serious note, but which subjected the police to public ridicule, in June of last year officers were ordered to report for work – as waiters, at an official banquet at the Prime Minister’s country residence in Girgenti.
The Opposition has repeatedly questioned promotions and transfers within the force, not least the appointment of three deputy commissioners.
To put things into perspective, the Metropolitan Police in London only have one deputy commissioner and Hong Kong has two.
The police commissioner is not helping himself and the image of the force by failing to act, or not acting quickly enough, on allegations of wrongdoing.
Recently, the Home Affairs Ministry launched an inter-ministerial inquiry into allegations that the police chief failed to press charges against a Żejtun man who assaulted police officers in a police station. This is a very serious matter and puts the police chief and the entire force in a very bad light.
It’s time for the police commissioner to go.
Frank Psaila is a lawyer.