The government is refusing to say if it has changed internal police regulations to reinstate police officers who have been out of the force for more than 10 years.

Times of Malta is informed that until the last general election, there were strict rules in place on the reinstatement of police officers. One of them laid down that they could only return to the force if retired for less than 10 years.

However, according to information given in Parliament to Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, some of the police officials reinstated after the March 2013 general election had retired more than 25 years ago.

All these rules have been thrown out of the window

Repeatedly asked by Times of Malta if the government had amended the rules and to provide a copy of the rules now in force, the ministry spokeswoman never replied.

This newspaper is informed that an unprecedented number of former police officials – close to a hundred – have been reinstated by the Labour government. About 60 officers were also recruited as part-time policemen.

According to the list provided in Parliament, about 30 of them retired more than 15 years ago and others more than 25 years ago.

Dr Mallia confirmed that three former police officers who retired in 1986 have been reintegrated in the police force. Another group of seven officers who had resigned in 1987 were also reinstated.

A senior police officer told Times of Malta that rules did exist before March 2013 but claimed they were now being ignored.

“There were specific rules stipulating who could be eligible for reinstatement. These included seven specific requirements. Among them was the 10-year time window and that officers with more than 20 years of service could not be reinstated,” the officer said.

“However, since the new government took over, all these rules have been thrown out of the window.”

Other police sources claimed that what lay behind all these reinstatements was political expediency. “It is obvious that whoever left the force more than 10 years ago is no longer in touch with the workings of the police.

“However, the reinstated officers will have the right to retire on a new pension, based on current salary level. This is the main reason behind all these reinstated police officers,” the source said.