The Malta Police Association called on the government and the Police Commissioner to implement the controls necessary to protect sensitive information and personal data of officers.

It said it was concerned with the findings of an investigation by the Data Protection Commissioner into the leakage of particulars of a police inspector.

On Wednesday, Times of Malta reported that the Data Protection Commissioner concluded that the personal file of Police Inspector Elton Taliana was illegally divulged to Malta Today. The information was then used in court against the inspector during libel proceedings.

At the time, Peter Paul Zammit was police commissioner. Mr Zammit has strongly denied accusations that he handed over confidential documents to the press.

The Data Protection Commissioner fined the (current) Police Commissioner €500 and ordered a reorganisation of the filing system of personal police records kept at the police headquarters.

The association said this was not the first time sensitive information was leaked to the media without authorisation.

It condemned the fact that certain media organisations published allegations against individual officers with the intention of demeaning the integrity of the force.

It would be better if anyone who had information about abuse went through the proper legal channels rather than just publish allegations, the association said.

The association said police officers were being turned into political footballs as a result of what was happening.