Police Commissioner Michael Cassar has a different vision to his predecessor on the recruitment of reserve constables, saying new blood would serve the police force better.

Last year, 134 reserve constables were recruited, some well past pensionable age.

Although the option to employ reserve constables has been there since 2002 when the Police Act came into force, only 11 appointments had been made prior to 2013.

Nine of these were recruited during the 2005 Commonwealth Summit.

The reserve constables recruited last year were expected to be on duty between 23 and 35 hours a week and assigned to a variety of roles within the force, according to the conditions of work tabled in Parliament.

The 134 police officers were recruited on a one-year contract. Of these, so far nine did not have their contracts renewed, four resigned and only three were reinstated on a full-time basis. No reserve constables have been recruited this year.

Asked whether this reflected a new vision for the police force, Mr Cassar agreed there was a change of direction. “I’m not saying there will definitely not be any reserve constables recruited. It’s not a clear-cut ‘no’, but it’s better to invest in new blood”.

Former police commissioner Peter Paul Zammit had justified the decision to deploy former police officers, some of whom were in their 70s, saying it would strengthen the police force with immediate effect as no training was required. Officers of a certain age could have an edge due to their experience, Mr Zammit believed.

Former Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia had endorsed the move and strongly defended it. Since then, Dr Mallia has also been replaced by Carmelo Abela.

The issue was brought to the attention of this newspaper after reserve constable John Meli Farrugia was told his contract would not be renewed on the same day it expired, on March 17. “I was given a letter on the same day informing me I wasn’t going to be reassigned. There was no advance warning or explanation given on why my contract wouldn’t be renewed,” Mr Meli Farrugia said.

He is over 60 but still physically fit, he said. A martial arts instructor, he has in the past served in the police force for around four years followed by another 14 years in the army.

“Nobody told us our age was an issue. Only two weeks earlier I sat for an interview to join the traffic police. I was told I did well,” he said.

He had formerly worked as private security guard and had his licence withdrawn when he re-entered the force since the law does not permit officers to work in the same sector in a private capacity. “Now I have to reapply for my licence and until that is issued I can’t work,” he said, although the process of issuing the security guard licence is faster for former police and army officers. The government is going back on its word.”

The police commissioner clarified the contract did not stipulate the need for reserve constables to receive advance warning of their termination.