Ħamrun police station is to be temporarily closed for repairs, the police said on Thursday, hours after the Malta Police Union warned it would declare an industrial dispute unless officers were relocated elsewhere for repairs to take place.
The union said it was giving Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà one week to relocate officers out of the police station.
It pointed out that it had long been complaining about the poor state of the building and had already declared a dispute before withdrawing it as meetings were held with the authorities.
“The (union) administration has been working on this matter, but still we do not have concrete results,” the union said on its Facebook page on Thursday.
“The union has informed (the police management) that a dispute will be registered on 15 February 2024 if our members are not relocated out of this station." The union said it was available for talks to solve this pending issue prior to the 15th.
In a reaction later, the police said that over the past weeks, arrangements had been made for the temporary closure of Ħamrun police station for extensive renovation and maintenance. Works will start in the coming days.
It said the working environment of its officers was a priority, as was the quality of service given to the public.
A temporary police station is being set up in St Paul Square, Hamrun, while office services will be handled from Pietà police station (near St Luke's Hospital).
Police community services will continue uninterrupted, and Marsa police station will be open round the clock.