Updated - Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said today he was not surprised by a mass exodus of senior police officers, reported by Times of Malta.

"Public trust in the force has been in freefall," Dr Busuttil said.

Times Of Malta reported that Deputy Police Commissioner Pierre Calleja has called it a day and two Assistant Police Commissioners, Antoine Casha and Norbert Ciappara, have also resigned.

Other assistant police commissioners are also toying with the idea of leaving the force, sources said.

Other senior officers, including superintendents and inspectors, have also stepped down. Some of them have already moved to greener pastures.

They include superintendents Josef Petroni, Sharon Tanti, Martin Bayliss and Michael Mallia and inspectors Pierre Grech, Marisa Zammit and Rosanne Debattista.

The police force has been in turmoil for the past two-and-a-half years, having had no fewer than four police commissioners in that period.

Read more in the Times of Malta.