Carmelo Abela, Minister for Home Affairs and National Security

Change was the main thrust of a presentation I made together with Saviour Formosa to the Parliamentary Social Affairs Committee last July. We said the key point to reform is the “transformation of the force from a colonial remnant that is currently serving itself to a dynamic entity that serves society”. Overhaul indeed.

However, change hurts. It hurts, as inbuilt routine is so ingrained that for decades, few sought to think outside the box and the status quo prevailed. The government seeks to change all this and with expert advice, for the first time in decades, there is a distinct direction that seeks major change: a change that benefits the force and society itself. This is no mere lip service. We have already embarked on a series of measures that will bring about change.

These include the issuing of the CEO call currently at an advanced stage, the passing of legislation related to the Academy for Disciplined Forces, the conclusion of a bottom-up situational analysis, the drafting of a high-level strategy and major changes perceived in legislation pertaining to the force.

Why an overhaul? A force ingrained in tradition and protocol can and will change as it masters six key factors. The main pivots on the need for officers to be knowledgeable of and to enforce legislation, which is also why the CEO and the Commissioner need to be in tandem in guiding the force; one from an operational side and one from a policing side, under the headship of the Commissioner.

The implementation of the CEO’s action on capacity will ensure the Commissioner’s charges to be trained to understand ongoing changes in society and offer an evidence-based policymaking and implementation role through research-based analytical processes. This dual system will affect the due processes that help to investigate crime and deter, apprehend and prosecute offenders, in turn offering peace of mind through the reduction of social disorganisation, ensuring domestic peace and crime prevention thus serving as a socially cohesive fulcrum through the provision of community-based services.

The tandem will in turn ensure that the force is active in international circuits to be prepared and understand the impacts of global and regional trends on national and local safety and security.

The current introduction of the position of CEO in conjunction with a new Police Commissioner will produce a synergy unseen to date.  A synergy that is target-oriented fulfils the long-sought targets for capacity, training, skills audit, strategy implementation, and business operations as well as ensures that the Commissioner focuses on policing and the reduction of crime.

Choosing a Commissioner of Police called for a process focusing on delivery, drive and a generic all-rounder. To date, this focus has resulted in an overburdening of the persons occupying the post rendering results that reflect the social context within which they operate.

While all are focused towards policing, each is heavily burdened with tasks unrelated to the role they occupy, roles that will now be taken up by the CEO.

The Commissioner of Police will focus on preventive patrol leading towards criminal deterrence and reduction of opportunities offered to offenders and problem-oriented policing that ensures a bridging-the-gap approach between the force, powers of State, social partners, communities and citizens.

The CEO will on the other hand focus on operational and administrative priorities including entity restructuring, human resources, public relations, informational technology management and national and international project acquisition, among others.

Currently the board of selection is in the process of conducting interviews for the candidates who applied for the post.

The road ahead will serve as a personal and organisation-changing experience: a journey towards innovation, setting and continuously reaching new standards of professionalism and efficiency deserved by a 21st century police force and the society they protect.

Beppe Fenech Adami, Shadow Interior Minister

The biggest mistake the present administration is making is that it thinks that all problems and challenges being faced by the police force shall be addressed and solved with the appointment of a CEO.

This is far from the truth.

In principle my party is not against the appointment of a CEO provided the terms of reference and conditions for such an appointment are made clear from the beginning and strictly adhered to once the appointment has been made.

The selection process must also be a transparent one where no one is pre-selected and everyone interested in the post is given his chance and a level playing field in the selection process.

Undoubtedly the proper management of a police force, in a world where criminality is well organised and the threats to public order and security are the order of the day, is a priority. A police force CEO should be a key player in the set-up, organisation, administration and proper deployment of all human resources within the force.

Unfortunately till this day the deployment of our police officers still does not reflect the needs ofour communities. On a local level there are instances where police absence is the order of the day, local police stations in many of our villages are closed all week 24/7 while other area police stations are understaffed.

The same applies for our special branches. Till this day the level of investment in equipment, tools and technology lags behind European standards. The same applies in terms of training and retraining. Our country has to invest much more in our police officers.

A new CEO should be crucial in making sure that all human resources, all members of the police force, are utilised to the best of their capabilities. A new police CEO should ensure that there is no political interference in the daily operations of the force.

Too many have been sacrificed on the altar of political interests over the last three years. Too many good elements have retired from the force having given up that things will turn for the better. Political interference must stop.

My party is being radical in its ideas and vision for the police force. The force has gone through three traumatic years having five different police commissioners over such a short period. The price the force paid has been high.

Today the police force is a demoralised force. Blatant cases of corruption are not investigated. Whistleblowers are harassed rather than protected. Crime, serious and petty is on the increase.

There is a way forward for the force and in this regard my party is ready to lead. We have already proposed, in our document on good governance that future police commissioners should be appointed by a two-thirds vote in Parliament, which vote shall be preceded by a  grilling process for such sensitive posts. I shall in the coming months outline my party’s vision for the police force and other disciplined forces.

Our police deserve much better. Our police deserve better work conditions. Our police deserve a better quality of life.

I want every one of our officers to be proud once again that he or she are members of our police force serving the community.

I want to instill once more our citizens’ trust in the force. I am sure that we will deliver.