Proposals by the Attorney General for the necessary changes to be made in the law so that policemen could become members of a trade union are scheduled to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday, journalists were told this evening.

They were given this information by a spokesman for the Home Affairs Ministry at the end of a news conference during which they were given details on how the new Rapid Intervention Unit will work.

Pierre Calleja

The unit will be formed from the amalgamation of the Special Assignment Group and the Mobile Squad.

Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit said that working hours will remain the same and officers assigned to the new unit will actually work 20 minutes less than the usual 46-hour weekly shift.

The new unit, headed by Assistant Commissioner Pierre Calleja, will have 163 officers, and 12 to 15 cars on the road at any one time - up from the current seven to eight.

Members of the unit will wear the normal blue police shirt and black combat trousers.

Commissioner Zammit said that at the moment, there were 1,950 police officers in the force but the target is to increase the number to 2,500.

Asked whether officers had been consulted about the new shift, the Police Commissioner said that talks were held with the association and were continuing.