New Rapid Intervention police officers to get 55-hour rest period

Police officers are expected to benefit from more quality time, Commissioner of Police Peter Paul Zammit said today as he officially launched the new Rapid Intervention Unit, an amalgamation of the Special Assignment Group and the Mobile Squad.

Zammit, a former police superintendent whose return to the corps came with his appointment to Commissioner on election of the new Labour government, today said the best tool for more efficient policing was time for training and quality time for police officers to spend with their families.

"This helps the officers ease off their tension and socialise more with their loved ones," Zammit said of the new universal time shift for members of the RIU.

"Police officers are human beings who need to be treated as such," Zammit said of the new RIU, which will give officers a 55-hour stretch of time during which officers will be away from work.

The shift employed until now at the section formerly known as Mobile Squad, was an eight-hour on, eight-hour off dead beat which left little time for training. "It did not give officers decent time away from work," Zammit said, saying the new shift enters into operation next Monday, 1 July, and will only have a single break of eight hours, with 12 hours stretched in between duties, and over two whole days off every four days.

Zammit said the new shift formed part of a "mature" restructuring of the force, even in view of the island's upcoming president of the EU in 2017. "During the presidency Malta will witness various high profile visits and events. The safety of citizens and VIPs are paramount," he said.

The creation of the RIU will see between 12 to 15 vehicles patrolling the Maltese roads. The doubling of police vehicles will also result in Malta being sectioned in smaller areas, decreasing the response time of police units. The 163 officers detailed at the RIU will be trained in armed and unarmed combat, first aid, basic fire fighting and first responder intervention. Additional vehicles will beef up the number of RIU vehicles to 30.

The unit will be answerable to Assistant Commissioner Pierre Calleja. Under his remit, the RIU will form part of the Criminal Investigation Department. Officers at this unit will wear the blue police shirt, black combat trousers and the traditional police cap.

The RIU will be the only unit to apply the amended shift. Officers will start on a night-shift from 8pm to 4:30am. This will be followed by what is known as 'the second shift' which starts at 12pm until 8:30pm. The following day is the tour of duty, the 'as required' shift, where officers will work between 9am and 4pm. This shift will be mainly used for training purposes. The last duty will be from 4am till 12:30pm, which will be then be followed by a 55-hour period of rest.

The police corp's administration and the Police Association are currently holding discussions to reach an agreement on amending the shifts of other police sections.

Currently the police force consists of 1,950 officers. Commissioner Zammit said his aim is to have around 2,500 officers. "The government is investing special bonuses in those who have special duties. These officers use taxpayer's money and I will not give back a mediocre service but a professional, serious service," he said, promising a "European police force with a broad vision and professional dedication".