New conditions of service ‘undermine the Police’s independence and integrity’

The Malta Police Association (MPA) has accused the Office of the Prime Minister and the Home Affairs Ministry of having agreed on a document regulating the conditions of services for the police force behind its back.

The document was signed between the principal permanent secretary Mario Cutajar and the ministry’s permanent secretary Kevin Mahoney on 29 October.

In a statement released by the MPA’s representative – lawyer Robert Abela – the association said it was objecting to the agreement.

According to the new regulations, the appointments of Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner “are to be made on a performance agreements at par with headship positions […] Hence, it is clarified that these appointments will no longer be considered as grades.”

The present chief of police, Ray Zammit, has retained the title of 'Acting Police Commissioner' since the removal of former police commissioner Peter Paul Zammit.

The MPA argued that whoever is set to occupy the top posts within the Police Force will be “under the effective control of the Executive, because it will be at the Executive’s discretion to determine the how long the top officials will retain their posts”.

“We believe that the Police Force should not be compared with other entities within the civil services given the delicate nature of our work. It is of utmost importance that the highest officials within the force  are not conditioned by the fear of being fired from their roles if they take a decision which does not suit the Executive,” the MPA said.

“[The government] is undermining the independence, integrity and autonomy of the Police Force by weakening the Police Force and undermining the people’s trust. This agreement is bringing about an unprecedented change within the Police Force.”

The MPA has officially requested an urgent meeting of the Police Negotiation Board, according to the Police Act, to analyse the matter.