The police force has denied setting predetermined targets for traffic tickets, after an officer testified that an unofficial quota system was in place.

A police spokesperson however acknowledged that officers must list the contraventions they issue every day, as part of a broader performance review by which their work is assessed.

“Police officers assigned to field duties are expected to enforce traffic legislation appropriately, without any predetermined targets for issuing contraventions,” a police spokesperson said.

“This expectation is based on the volume of traffic and activity in their respective areas, and their respective shift duration.”

The denial about officers having predetermined quotas comes two days after a police officer stationed in Ħamrun testified under oath that an unofficial quota system existed for traffic contraventions.

Officers were expected to issue a minimum of 10 contraventions per month, officer Clive Mallia told the court, with targets higher in high-traffic areas like St Julian’s.

Mallia was testifying in a case concerning five people who assaulted him and another officer following an argument over a traffic contravention.

It was the first time a police officer had acknowledged the existence of a quota-based system. Community officers, previously called wardens, had such a system in place for years but it was abolished in 2015 following a reform of that system by the Local Enforcement System Agency.

In reply to questions by Times of Malta, the police said that district police officers' performance is evaluated on “a number of criteria”.

Each district officer must fill in an End of Shift Report (EOSR) every day to that end. The EOSR includes, among other details, information about patrolling, engagement with the public, road checks, and any contraventions or charges issued.

“Ultimately our emphasis remains on the presence of our officers on the streets engaging with the public, ensuring public safety and enforcing the law fairly,” the police said.