Police officers are still unsure what qualifications or experience the new CEO should have.Police officers are still unsure what qualifications or experience the new CEO should have.

A call for applications for the post of police CEO does not make it clear whether any qualifications or past experience are required.

No mention of any specific academic qualifications are mentioned in the call, nor does it say whether applicants need to have served in the police force or held any other civil service post or managerial position.

It says that applicants should have “leadership skills” and also be able to motivate the entire police force.

Twelve eligibility requirements are listed, including that the applicant must be a Maltese citizen and be able to communicate in both Maltese and English. Applicants will also have to prove that they are of good conduct.

The selected candidate, who will be offered a definite three-year contract and receive an annual salary of €55,000 plus allowances, will have a direct hold over tendering processes and the letting of police contracts.

The call adds that “due consideration” would be given to applicants having relevant work experience or any qualifications. However, it does not specify what these qualifications should be and what type of experience would be considered relevant.

Applicants should be “self-confident, assertive and emotionally intelligent”, be able to “exceed targets” and have “a can-do attitude”, which, the call for applications notes, are necessary for the job.

Senior police officers contacted by this newspaper said, however, that it was not clear whether the requirements normally tagged to certain public sector scales would be applicable in this case.

“It appears as though just about anyone can apply for this position. It’s almost hard to believe,” said one officer, who asked to remain anonymous.

It appears as though just about anyone can apply for this position.It’s almost hard to believe

A senior officer described the call for applications as having been “too vague”.

Questions sent from this newspaper to the Home Affairs Ministry yesterday remained unanswered at the time of writing.

The new position of CEO was recently reported as being one of the reasons that led to the resignation of former police commissioner Michael Cassar.

Mr Cassar was the fourth police chief to step down since 2013. He resigned amid reports that he had reservations over the introduction of the new position, among other things.

Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela denied the reports and insisted the position of CEO had been announced well before Mr Cassar had taken on the job.

Addressing a public consultation meeting earlier this month, Mr Abela said the CEO would act as the “administrative side of the police force”.

Mr Abela said that the CEO would not be able to intervene in police work but would be focused more on the organisational set-up of the force.

The call for applications says the position will require the selected candidate to manage financial and administrative matters, human resources management, corporate branding, and ICT and automation.

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