Last October, a man arrested in connection with an 11-kilo drug haul committed suicide at the police headquarters lock-up in Floriana. The 39-year-old man from Żejtun was due to be arraigned.

A few weeks later, in December, a 36-year-old German man also committed suicide at the police headquarters. The man had a drug problem, was unemployed, homeless and also about to appear in court to be charged with drug possession and attempted theft.

Then, at the beginning of this year, a 45-year-old Briton, held under preventive arrest at Mount Carmel Hospital’s forensic unit, took his own life. This man faced drug charges but he himself needed help.

Then, in between talk of inquiries, staff shortages, CCTV cameras and the inevitable political bickering, news leaked out that, at the beginning of the new year, a Syrian man harmed himself at the police depot and was taken to Mount Carmel Hospital as a precautionary measure. When asked about this case, the police replied that they did not need to inform the media every time there was an attempted suicide or self-harm at the lock-up. Apparently, an inquiry was launched only after the case became public. So the press did service a purpose, even if the police seem to think otherwise.

Such statements by the police do not help to put people’s minds at rest considering that three men died when they were supposed to have been under a watchful eye. Inquiries, which will not bring them back to life, may apportion blame but what is really necessary is action to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela initially tried to steer clear from partisan politics but as pressure by the Opposition increased, he came out with a statement with statistics showing that, over the last five years, there were 16 cases of attempted suicide or self-harm in the police lock up, including 10 during the former Nationalist administration. Incredibly, the statement ignored the obvious elephant in the room: that there were three suicides in as many months. Instead, the ministry asked why, under the previous administration, attempted suicides were not reported in the media.

There is no doubt Mr Abela inherited a police corps that was already facing serious problems when he took over from his predecessor, Manuel Mallia. Police commissioners have come and gone and one can only hope that the force is now in stable hands under Michael Cassar. Yet, much remains to be done.

Following the second suicide, Mr Cassar said there was CCTV equipment installed in the lock-up hallways at the police depot but was considering putting cameras in individual cells, especially if this would save lives. He admitted it was a complex issue because many felt it would impinge on people’s privacy.

But will CCTV cameras save lives, even if they intrude in one’s privacy? There were closed circuit cameras at Mount Carmel Hospital but the third suicide still took place.

This newspaper reported that “level one supervision”, prescribed to patients at risk of harming themselves, was often unavailable due to staff shortages. Such a situation is totally unacceptable.

People in custody, when they areusually so vulnerable, need to be protected, even from themselves. The solution lies in properly-trained staff and effective surveillance.

The minister has appointed a board to draw up recommendations, in eight weeks, on what improvements can be carried out to better protect people in custody. Prompt action should follow because people’s lives could be at stake. Statistics are irrelevant in this case.