Twenty-seven of the 204 officers recruited by the police since the start of 2016 have a criminal record, according to information given in Parliament.

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia said in reply to a question tabled by PN MP Beppe Fenech Adami that, in the past, there had been many instances where policemen facing criminal charges were still given promotions.

He did not specify whether the officers in question had been convicted or cleared of the charges.

The recruitment of police officers with a criminal record only became possible after the rules were changed when Labour was returned to power in 2013.

Previously, individuals who did not have a clean criminal record were automatically disqualified from joining the force.

The rules now lay down that certain, unspecified, ‘small’ criminal acts will not disqualify a person from joining the police.

Significant changes were also made so former police officers who had resigned could be reinstated even though considerable time would have passed.

In fact, some close to retirement age were engaged again.

The old rules would only make it possible for former officers of a certain age to be reinstated provided they had not been out of the force for many years.

There were cases, sources close to the force said, where officers reinstated after 2013 left just a few months after, in the process significantly boosting their pension as it was then based on their last pay.

Policies on sick leave were also modified.

Under the previous rules, officers with a record showing they resorted to sick leave too often were not considered eligible to be reinstated.

However, after the changes, former officers, who used to report sick for long periods of time due to ill health, were allowed to join the force again.