I am disappointed by some of the police chief’s vacancy requirements. I get the Opposition’s point on the potential misuse of the probationary period, which I’m sure has scared potential candidates who are currently serving officers. Even outsiders would think twice; but there are two other contentious points to ponder.
The first is the €42,827 salary, which might mean the world for the public service but it’s a joke for the police.
At best, it’s the equivalent of directorships in agencies and authorities, but it’s not equal to a CEO’s if you want to compare like with like. On its own it might come close to a decent quantum of ‘danger money’, but that should only be the start of the whole package.
Ask anyone from the drug squad or the CID about how threatening the job can be, or the officers whose front door was blown up by a bomb. Or the exposure of forensics to chemicals and to mentally taxing scenes of crime.
Top up the police commissioner’s salary to at least €100,000 plus allowances- Mary Muscat
The perks are numerous but why dangle carrots and leave the chief on his or her toes to see whether they made it or not? Perks and policing don’t go together, it’s actually unethical and sends the wrong message. And who is deciding on the 15 and 20 per cent allowances – wouldn’t this make the chief subservient to another public officer?
If the government truly respects the position and is demanding some badass policing in return, then the basic salary should automatically incorporate the sum of all the perks. Free the chief from tethers, political, financial or otherwise, and top up the salary to at least €100,000, plus car allowance, insurance and communication expenses.
Yes, insurance; it’s a 24/7 job that demands risking one’s life, property and family. Has the government ever checked how higher than normal an officer’s personal and health insurance premium, and even house and car insurance, are?
Not only that, but if the government wants to attract talented outsiders with certain professional backgrounds like a legal practice, do you think anyone would settle for half a lawyer’s annual revenue? Even if a serving officer with a law degree had to apply, why bow down to a preconceived sum that does not reflect that academic investment? Why not leave room for salary negotiation?
For instance, how can a single parent raising a family survive on €42,000 and be available 24/7 without a child-minder? What is going to happen when the kids are sick – is teleworking an option? Or leave them sleeping alone while attending to a night scene of crime? Isn’t the PSC’s view of the chief stereotypical and discriminating?
The second point is transformational policing. I particularly applaud the promotion of inclusion. As a mother of a child who is a wheelchair user with multiple special needs, advocacy for inclusion is a way of life. It can range from facing the bully who has unlawfully taken up the blue badge parking slot to pointing out the need of ramps or room to manoeuvre a wheelchair in public places, as if the related law is still unknown.
I don’t know how many times I was close to throwing morons in skips. I’d love to see a family-friendly police department that would back you up and would also nip hate crime in the bud.
What I cannot fathom is the required four-year plan that showcases this transformation – isn’t there one already that is drawn up by the governance board and CEO as outlined in the Police Act? Where exactly does this new plan fit? And what weight does that carry in the PSC’s distribution of marks? And aren’t external applicants discriminated against by not having access to information that helps them draw up this plan?
I am fond of hearing the prime minister refer to the possibility of a female chief. It’s comforting to know that it can be a reality, and having witnessed Charmaine Gauci’s kickass approach to COVID-19 I guess the public has been well-educated by her example.
It’s good to know that the government wants a chief who can rise up to the challenge but how can the government fight criminality with cents and mills? I’m sorry to say it’s not possible with those work conditions, prime minister.
Mary Muscat is a lawyer, lecturer and former police inspector.