[attach id=408747 size="medium"]Carmelo Abela[/attach]

The police force will be upgrading its procedures in light of the upcoming reform of Malta’s drug laws, according to Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela.

“Every law giving rights to people accused of certain offences requires us to look at means of strengthening the disciplinary corps,” said Mr Abela.

“The police will be closely following developments in the rights of the accused, in order to upgrade the way they do their work and carry out investigations. Tied to this is the training necessary to make this possible.”

Mr Abela, however, did not foresee any major changes in the police force’s priorities or general drugs strategy in light of the decriminalisation law.

“The government’s message remains the same: drugs are bad. But we acknowledge that we also have to help victims of drug abuse, while staying harsh with traffickers.”

Under the Drug Dependence Bill, currently in the final stages of parliamentary debate, users found in simple possession of drugs for the first time appear before a Justice Commissioner, who will give them a warning and impose administrative fines ranging between €75 and €125. In the case of cannabis the fine will be between €50 and €100.

Repeat offenders will appear before a new drugs court headed by former European Court of Human Rights Judge Giovanni Bonello, who will have the authority to impose mandatory rehabilitation.

Mr Abela said the government would also be taking measures to ensure that the authorities actually have the means to carry out court-ordered seizures in drug-related cases, which has not always been the case in the past.

Speaking at the intake of a new crop of police inspectors reading for a Diploma in Policing at the University of Malta, the minister also announced a call for 100 new police constables, as well as the imminent appointment of a new Director of Education to strengthen specialised training at the Ta’ Kandja police academy.