Swieqi remains one of the largest localities without its own police station, as the site earmarked to house it has not been opened more than a year after its inauguration.
“We still have not been given the keys to the civic centre. We were also promised the government would be committed to handling the locality’s crime problem. This has not happened,” Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat told Times of Malta.
Security is a problem here. Residents are upset
A small police station in the civic centre was supposed to open last year. However, despite a string of requests for the keys to the centre, the site remains closed and the town’s streets unpatrolled.
Mr Muscat said the town was in dire need of adequate police protection.
“Security is a problem here. From foreign language students to drunken night clubbers and a string of burglaries a few months back... there is a problem and residents are upset,” he said.
Swieqi falls under the jurisdiction of the St Julian’s police precinct. Mr Muscat, however, feels that station is stretched too thin.
“That station has to deal with St Julian’s, Swieqi, Madliena and Paceville. It can’t cope,” he said, adding that most of the police’s resources were tied up in dealing with Paceville-related incidents.
The neighbouring nightlife mecca was recently dubbed Malta’s crime capital.
It saw the highest number of burglaries, armed robberies, muggings, pickpockets and snatch-and-grab cases on the island.
Despite this, Mr Muscat said he had been told that the St Julian’s police precinct had recently reduced its staff.
“There are now fewer police officers and less experienced police,” he said.
It is not clear who is responsible for handing over the keys to the civic centre, but Mr Muscat believes that opening the building might not solve all the town’s problems.
“We have had meetings with [Home Affairs Minister] Manuel Mallia and he does not seem keen on the idea of Swieqi having its own station.
“Instead, he prefers relying on the Rapid Intervention Unit,” he said.
Mr Muscat insists this might not be enough and the council is calling for regular patrols and a centralised outpost.
A spokeswoman for the ministry told Times of Malta that the opening of a station was not off the cards.
“We are not averse to the opening of a separate station in Swieqi.
“But this is a problem of human resources. We are actively considering this,” she said.
Swieqi residents have joined the council’s call for a station, with more than 400 residents signing a petition in the hope of forcing a decision.
“There are 10,000 residents here and there is very little government spending. The least we could have is a safer locality,” Mr Muscat said.