Swieqi residents still without a police station

Swieqi remains one of the largest villages without its own police station, as the site earmarked for the depot has not been opened, despite growing concerns over public safety.

Drunks damaging private property is a weekly occurrence

The police station was set to be located at the Swieqi Civic Centre which was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi last February. However, three months and several official requests later, the building remains closed and unfinished.

“Security is a problem in Swieqi. We offered the police a space in the civic centre but we still haven’t been handed the keys to the building, our requests keep bouncing back,” Swieqi mayor Noel Muscat said.

The Transport and Infrastructure Ministry is responsible for handing over civic premises, but a “mess of red tape” has council members and residents at their wit’s end. “We sent several e-mails, and have been in contact with the authorities, but we’re in no man’s land,” Swieqi deputy mayor Justin Fenech said.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had highlighted the need for a stronger police presence during the election campaign last January.

“Swieqi isn’t just another residential area. There are times of the week when crime spikes and we [the Labour Party] will address that,” Dr Muscat had said.

Swieqi forms part of the St Julian’s police precinct which the Swieqi council insists has its hands full dealing with nightlife hotspot Paceville.

An analysis carried out by Times of Malta last year found that police officers in St Julian’s had to deal with approximately three times as many cases of theft, vandalism and bodily harm than their colleagues in Birkirkara.

“The Paceville spillover is a recurrent problem. Drunks and delinquents damaging private property is a weekly occurrence. People don’t want to live like this,” Mr Muscat said.

More than 20 cars were vandalised in Swieqi last April and police sources confirmed that three break-ins were reported in the area last month along with several other reports of loitering and suspicious behaviour, but Mr Muscat believes this might be the tip of the iceberg.

“Many people don’t come forward and report incidents, we often hear about them through neighbours and friends. Imagine waking up to find your car has been vandalised and your front garden used as a toilet,” he said.

Swieqi councillors will meet with Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit this month to discuss increasing the police presence.

“St Julian’s police are overstretched, there are more than 9,000 residents in Swieqi and the number multiplies every summer. We urgently need our own police station,” Mr Muscat said.