Police union president Inspector Sandro Camilleri. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Police officers are under continuous psychological stress and some of them refrain from taking action to avoid getting into trouble, according to the president of the union representing them.

“Officers are assaulted regularly, at times even if they stop drivers to ask for their details. Foul language hurled at them is the order of the day,” Inspector Sandro Camilleri told The Sunday Times of Malta.

“Under the law, officers can use the necessary force to apprehend a violent person. However, sometimes they are accused of unnecessary handling, even if they approach a person.”

To make matters more stressful, police officers are not insured against injury.

Although aggressors are eventually taken to court on criminal charges, every police officer who is beaten or hit by a car has to pay for his medical expenses, Inspector Camilleri explained.

“This is resulting in officers taking less action to stay out of trouble, because they always get the blame,” he said.

He noted that since the union has just been set up, it is still collecting data on the number of reports filed against officers.

However, when asked whether he accepted that there are policemen who gave other officers a bad name, he said there are good and bad people everywhere, but the good outnumber the bad.

“There are good teachers and abusive teachers, saintly priests and abusive priests, good and bad doctors. It’s the same with police officers. There are a lot of good ones, and a few bad ones. This is why investigations should be ongoing, to expose abuse and deter it.

“Unfortunately, you will find an officer who abuses his position of trust; however, fortunately most of the officers are dedicated, take their job seriously and risk their life so that our country remains one of the safest,” Inspector Camilleri insisted.

It’s not the first time that someone ran off when they saw me or attacked me because they were drunk

Set up by Inspector Camilleri and seven other officers, the union is affiliated to the General Workers’ Union, though the police union is autonomous.

Distancing the union from any political affiliation, Inspector Camilleri said the union garnered some 600 members in the first month. There are about 2,000 in the force.

Although the police union can seek redress from the industrial tribunal, it is forbidden from resorting to industrial action, such as a strike.

Officers have been calling for a union of their own for years, but this was only possible after legal amendments were approved by Parliament in February.

Psychological stress on the officers is amplified in Malta because of familiarity on the island, and officers are immediately spotted even when not in their uniforms.

“If I go for a drink, people still think I’m on duty. It’s not the first time that someone ran off when they saw me or attacked me because they were drunk. As a police officer you are under pressure all the time.”

Police officers do not have legal, psychological and counselling support within the force itself, but are instead referred to outside help such as that provided by the Appoġġ agency. Police abroad, on the contrary, have a specific psychological unit within the force.

While calling for psychological support by policemen for policemen, the union will be providing such help through officers who graduated in psychology.

Inspector Camilleri, who has a legal background and is studying psychology at the postgraduate level, said the union is also looking at work-related issues. Unlike army staff, policemen cannot work part-time or get involved in religious traditions and sport activities, among other things, unless they seek permission.

The union is also contesting two roles that according to Inspector Camilleri increase policemen’s workload: acting as prosecutors and lodging civil reports when, for example, someone opens a window in the common area of a block of flats. These occupy officers’ time, which could be dedicated to investigations and patrols.

When contacted, a spokeswoman said the National Security Ministry is working on a strategy for the Police Force and several of the union’s concerns will be “actively considered”.

With reference to police insurance, this forms part of an electoral pledge that the ministry is working on.