Updated 7pm
Former police superintendent Sandro Camilleri has been employed in one of the highest-ranking positions at the Housing Authority.
Times of Malta confirmed Camilleri took on the role of regulatory compliance manager on Monday, managing, coordinating and overseeing the Housing Authority's enforcement wing.
The 47-year-old ardent and long-time police officer has been tasked with ensuring that people living in social housing are compliant with the regulations and conditions of their housing agreements.
He will be conducting routine inspections on properties administered by or registered with the Housing Authority, investigating squatting cases and overseeing the authority's cases in court.
Author Mark Camilleri first revealed Camilleri's new job on his blog on Sunday.
Sources close to the government said Camilleri was employed after applying for a call issued by the Housing Authority.
He holds a Master of Business Administration degree (MBA) and was employed on an indefinite contract.
Camilleri left the police force last week after a 30-year career.
He is best known for having been the first president of the Police Officers Union, which is affiliated with the General Workers’ Union.
He previously served in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and led the police’s prosecution unit.
He was also superintendent in charge of the Sliema and Ħamrun districts and one of the earliest advocates for police body-worn cameras.
Camilleri is known for his spirited television and media appearances, during which he often called out social injustices and problems within the police force and advocated for better conditions for police officers.
He was also instrumental in the case of Emanuel Camilleri - the man who was wrongly accused of sexually abusing his daughter, a crime he had been jailed for.
Camilleri had investigated the claims against the daughter, which effectively led to the father being released from prison.
Most recently, in 2022, he was tasked to head a unit investigating major money laundering cases within the police’s Financial Crime Investigation Department (FCID).
Police officers can retire after 25 years of service, which means Camilleri was eligible to call it a day.
However, the reasons behind his exit are not clear and Camilleri declined to comment when contacted.