Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà on Thursday urged newly-promoted sergeants to reach out to victims of crime and to lead by example because the people wanted a serious police force.
He was speaking at a ceremony with Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri during which 18 men and 12 women were handed their letters of appointment as sergeants.
Camilleri urged the new sergeants to be models of discipline within the force.
Gafà underlined the importance of sergeants in the operations of the police force. He said the police needed to be more proactive and to improve communication with victims of crime.
"'We need to put the victims at the heart of our operations," he said.
He urged the sergeants to lead by example so that they could win the confidence of the people, because it was well known that the people wanted a serious police force, he added.