New breathalyser units donated to police force

The Malta Insurance Association has donated 15 breathalyser kits and 24 digital cameras to the police force, in a bid to improve road safety.

Police commissioner Michael Cassar said that both the police and the public would benefit from the new, updated technology - the new breathalyser units are more efficient and hygenic, offering results faster than the older models. 

Cassar added that the new units would replace the older ones as officers had had some difficulties with them given their inferior technology. He further explained that several districts would get a breathalyser as well as two at the RIU unit and the traffic branch.

“The previous units entailed that two tests needed to be carried out, one on site and one on the police station, but under the new system, a print-out with date, time and blood-alcohol content will be issued on site.

Officers are currently being trained in the use of these units, which are also more user-friendly than their predecessors.

The Malta Insurance Association is part of the Road Safety Council and it was in this capacity that it was making efforts to improve road safety, MIA president Julian Mamo said.

Mamo said that the association had donated equipment to help reduce claims as a result of road accident, but that the main aim was to reduce fatal accidents on the road, which amounted to two throughout 2015.

Cassar added that the cameras would be used to take pictures of road accidents so that the vehicles can be moved after a short time.

Asked whether the police felt the need of introducing dash cams or body cams, Cassar said that a study was underway into whether or not this was necessary.

He further explained that he felt that the reputation of the police force had improved during the past year.