Thirteen police dogs who form part of Corradino Correctional Facility’s newly-refurbished K9 Unit have been promoted to the rank of sergeant. 

The dogs were given the rank during an inauguration ceremony for the new CCF unit, which has been given an €80,000 upgrade and bolstered with new equipment and dog handlers.  

The K9 unit now features 13 dogs and as many handlers, up from the previous six. 

It includes dedicated rooms for dogs, a training area and office space. Six new dogs have been added to the unit as part of the upgrade, with Maltese and UK dog trainers roped in to train staff.

All works were carried out by CCF workers, the Home Affairs ministry said in a statement. 

In an inaguration ceremony to mark the opening, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia thanked CCF officers for their work and said there were plans to upgrade the facility’s administrative block. The government was also looking into the possibility of building a brand-new prison building. 

Minister Farrugia (second from right) meets and greets dogs and their handlers. Photo: DOI

Thirteen police dogs who form part of Corradino Correctional Facility’s newly-refurbished K9 Unit have been promoted to the rank of sergeant. 

The dogs were given the rank during an inauguration ceremony for the new CCF unit, which has been given an €80,000 upgrade and bolstered with new equipment and dog handlers.  

The K9 unit now features 13 dogs and as many handlers, up from the previous six. 

It includes dedicated rooms for dogs, a training area and office space. Six new dogs have been added to the unit as part of the upgrade, with Maltese and UK dog trainers roped in to train staff.

All works were carried out by CCF workers, the Home Affairs ministry said in a statement. 

Giving police dogs a rank is a long-standing tradition. In the US military, for instance, K9 dogs are always one rank higher than their handlers, as a reminder for them to be treated with respect. 

In an inauguration ceremony to mark the opening of the new unit, Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia thanked CCF officers for their work and said there were plans to upgrade the facility’s administrative block. The government was also looking into the possibility of building a brand-new prison building. 

Friday's was Dr Farrugia's first public appearance since an incident at home when he sustained a head injury after a fall. 

Dr Farrugia's visible injury