For most serving police officers, donning the uniform is an honour, a commitment to serve and protect society through crime prevention and prosecution. Indeed, the police force should be proud of its 202-year long history.
The big majority of policemen and policewomen – we do not say all because, human nature being what it is, there will always be bad apples – know theirs is a delicate, even dangerous, job. Indeed, being at the receiving end of abuse and violent reactions is to be expected because it is precisely their calling to stop such behaviour and ensure the well-being of the public.
The demands and the expectations by the public in relation to the police force are big and continuously rising and that is only natural. But to be able to fulfil their role as required, apart from the tools and training, police officers need to constantly feel they enjoy the full backing of both the public and the authorities, especially in the form of protection.
What they would expect first and foremost is that their independence and autonomy is fully respected and that they are allowed to carry out their duties without fear or favour.
However, there is more that needs to be done; more ‘practical’ measures, like giving them all possible help to make their job that little bit easier and put their minds at rest that, should something happen to them physically, they themselves and their families would not suffer the consequences as a result. For example, it is inconceivable that, given their high-risk duties, police officers are not covered by insurance.
The press has just reported the case of a police sergeant who had to rely on the benevolence of relatives, friends, colleagues and even well-wishers he did not know to raise €32,000, which the court ordered him to pay in damages in connection with a shooting incident in which he had been involved as a police officer.
Two independent inquiries had found he had acted within his limits and was exonerated. Yet, he found no tangible support from the force. This was not the only case where an officer was left high and dry by his superiors.
In an interview with this newspaper, Sandro Camilleri, president of the Police Officers Union, appealed for the introduction of body and dashboard cameras to be used by officers. Such equipment, he reasoned, would help enforcement efforts against traffic violations and also deter violent and abusive behaviour against officers on patrol.
He said the authorities often did not believe officers and that was alsowhy they needed to be equipped with the gadgets. Indeed, some officers have decided to purchase such equipment themselves.
These issues are essential ingredients in ensuring the police force is one that Maltese society deserves. The advent of police unions is, of course, most welcome but what really needs to happen is a change in mentality by all stakeholders, not least the people police officers serve.
A new Police Commissioner has just been appointed and the process to recruit a chief executive officer has started. This is therefore the right time to take stock and plan ahead.
It should be a three-pronged approach: the government giving general direction and providing all the necessary means; the police authorities doing all that needs to be done to ‘modernise’ the force in all senses; and the people supporting loyal officers and insisting they have all they need to do their duty.