Still bleary-eyed and trudging through his commute in the Mosta traffic on an innocuous June morning, Daniel Debattista had no idea he we would be leading an effort to escort a pregnant woman in labour to hospital.

PC Debattista was one of 27 officers commended for distinguishing themselves in the line of duty during a ceremony that took place Sunday at police headquarters in Floriana. The District of the Year and Official of the Year awards were also presented at the 14th edition of the ceremony.

On June 19 last year, while on his way to report for extra duty, PC Debattista was approached by a man whose wife was going into labour. The couple were on their way to Mater Dei Hospital but morning traffic was at a standstill.

“I remember thinking, being on my personal scooter, there was not much I could do,” he told Times of Malta. “But I pulled to the side, contacted some of my colleagues and we decided we would try to divert traffic and escort them to Mater Dei.”

Holding his personal radio, PC Debattista managed to get to motorists and clear a path until traffic policemen arrived on the scene.

“I think it’s a normal thing to do your utmost to help people but in my 12 years in the corps I never imagined a situation like this. However, when you see you can resolve it, it’s very satisfying and it is also fulfilling that I’ve had the honour to received such recognition,” the officer said.

The woman gave birth to a healthy baby girl only 45 minutes later. PC Debattista has since been introduced to thelittle girl and thanked profusely by the rest of her family.

Marthese Camilleri – Official of the Year.

Everything I do, I try to do it for the betterment of the corps

Police officers were honoured for actions they took while off duty, including foiling or stopping robberies, going into a burning home and rescuing people trapped inside, administering first aid to a person having a seizure, identifying stolen vehicles and apprehending unlicensed drivers on the road.

Several officers received awards for timely intervention that prevented people from taking their own lives.

Marthese Camilleri, a retired constable, was named Official of the Year and commended for her exemplary service record and for serving with honesty and integrity.

“Everything I do, I try to do it for the betterment of the corps,” Ms Camilleri said.

She had joined the force in July 1990 and retired in February 2016, rejoining as a part-time reserve constable in September of that same year.

“I have never refused work. I’ve been in several divisions and, as much as possible, I strove to truly commit to every job that was required of me,” she said.

“It’s important that you must always make an effort to do your job to the best of your ability.

“There were times when I was not even sure how I would approach the work, let alone make a start. But if you put your mind to it, there is no reason why you should not move forward.”

Daniel Debattista receiving his award from Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar.

The District of the Year award went to the first district, consisting of Valletta and Floriana.

Crime in the district was significantly reduced when compared to the previous year.

A successful year for the police - commissioner

Police Commissioner Lawrence Cutajar said that despite its ups and downs, 2019 was still a successful year for the police corps, with all murder cases committed being solved and a significant improvement in the solving of drug cases.

He said the past year saw crime drop by two per cent, meaning there had been a 10 per cent reduction of crime over the last three years.

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia noted that even when striving to do good, the authorities were not infallible.

He urged police offers to embrace change and innovation and integrate the continuous use of technology in order to stay one step ahead of criminals.