After the granting of self-government to Malta in 1921, the Police Department became the responsibility of the Maltese government. Alfredo Caruana Gatto was appointed Minister responsible for Justice and the Police.

Various public meetings and political demonstrations were held during the 1921 election campaign, but there was only one incident which called for police intervention, as these gatherings had been remarkably orderly.

On November 1, the first Legislative Assembly was inaugurated and two days later the Governor, Lord Plumer, addressed the Senate and Legislative Assembly. Referring to the Police Department, the Governor said he wanted to place on record that there was relatively little crime in Malta and that serious offences against life or property were comparatively rare.

He added that the police deserved credit for the general orderliness, who under Commissioner Henry Bamford’s able administration were becoming an efficient body.

Lord Plumer said the most important step in the improvement of the police administration during the previous two years had been the establishment of the Police Headquarters, where recruits were trained and provided with quarters.

He added that this was made possible after military authorities gave up the St John’s Hospital building in Valletta. The Governor said that the extensive reorganisation, the enforcement of stricter discipline, the improvement in the position of all members of the force in respect to pay and quarters had resulted in a general advance in the character and esprit de corps of the force.

Colonel Bamford continued to serve as Commissioner of Police for some time after the granting of self-government, as he had been contracted for three years; however, in April 1922, two months before his contract expired, he left Malta for the Gold Coast (now Ghana) where he was appointed Commandant of the Northern Territories Constabulary.

In June 1933, Colonel Bamford was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and the Commissioner of Police, on behalf of all members of the force, sent him a telegram of congratulations. The main court at Police General Headquarters in Valletta was named Bamford Court.

Between April and July 1922, Antonio Busuttil was Acting Commissioner and when Bamford left, Busuttil was appointed Commissioner. The following year Deputy Commissioner Amadeo Inglott was appointed Acting Commissioner as Busuttil fell ill suddenly after a stroke. He died on August 6, 1923.

Four months after Busuttil’s death, Major Frank Stivala, who at that time was Superintendent of Prisons, was appointed Commissioner of Police, and Superintendent Salvatore Galea replaced him as head of prisons. Stivala had already served as adjutant in the Police Force during Bamford’s commissionership.

Some months after Stivala’s appointment, a political incident took place in Valletta which had repercussions for the commissioner’s career. On June 26, 1924, just before the general election, a spontaneous demonstration by supporters of Giovanni Adami, then already a minister, took place in Kingsway (Republic Street), Valletta. Although the police tried to stop this demonstration, Adami was carried shoulder-high by some supporters and he was seen striking PC Antonio Catania with a stick.

The constable later lodged a report about the incident and a certain Luke Zammit, in a sworn statement, said he had seen Adami striking the constable and snatching his cap.

After this incident, Stivala was criticised for not taking court action against Adami but instead instituted disciplinary action against Constable Catania for making incorrect statements. Catania was found guilty of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline and was fined £15.

The commissioner also ordered criminal proceedings against Zammit, who was charged with perjury. He was found guilty and sentenced to 20 days’ imprisonment and a civil interdiction for five years. This sentence was upheld on appeal.

After the 1924 general election, Francesco Buhagiar was appointed Head of the Ministry (as the prime minister was then referred to) and continued with his duties as minister responsible for the police. He resigned on being appointed judge and on September 23, 1924, Carlo Mallia became Minister for Justice and the Police.

During the 1927 election campaign the police carried out a search in the headquarters of the Constitutional Party (led by Sir Gerald Strickland) but found nothing irregular. Another search was made in the La Valette Band Club, of which Sir Ugo Mifsud (leader of the Nationalist Party) was president, and 32 batons – the same type as those used by the police, but heavier – were found.

During the election campaign several public meetings ended with scuffles between rival supporters and the police had to intervene. On election day a leaflet was distributed containing an affidavit duly sworn and signed by Ettore Bono, known as Terinu, who stated that some 30 years before he had been employed as a waiter at a Masonic banquet where he had seen Strickland. Bono’s affidavit was signed on September 20 at the Auberge d’Aragon, the office of the Head of Ministry, Mifsud. Among those present were ministers and Stivala.

Despite this affidavit, Strickland won the election, and on August 16, 1927, soon after he took office as Head of the Ministry, immediately revised the disciplinary proceedings instituted earlier against Catania to whom the fine of £15 was later refunded by the Prime Minister personally in the presence of many officers and men of the Police Force.

The sentences of the Magistrates’ Court in respect of Luke Zammit were neutralised by a free pardon granted by the Governor after a request was made by the Ministry of Justice.

On August 25, 1927, it was announced in the Government Gazette that the Police Department was to be administered by a commission presided over by Strickland, in his capacity as Minister of the Police, and included Superintendent Salvatore Galea, the Superintendent of Prisons, and Captain S.J. Galea, the Captain of Ports. It also announced that Stivala was granted leave on full pay until further orders.

On March 8, 1928, the Official Secretary of the Head of the Ministry wrote to Stivala requesting him to state in writing, for submission to the Governor in Council, why he should not be charged with 11 accusations made against him. These charges included his failure to institute proceedings against Adami and the suppression of evidence in the case of Zammit.

Other charges included association with a woman of questionable character in a manner prejudicial to discipline and responsibility for the proliferation of houses notoriously used to facilitate prostitution. Stivala was also accused of failing to take proper action against a person who alleged that bribes were being collected to influence entry into the Police Force.

On March 8, 1928, the board of inquiry, chaired by Judge Alfred Parnis, appointed to hear evidence on the charges against Stivala, found that: “The Commissioner had associated with women of questionable character in a manner incompatible with the duties of a police officer. Moreover, Stivala failed in his duty in not preventing the unfair treatment of Luca Zammit.

“Furthermore, even after making the fullest possible allowance in dealing with the charges brought against his character in his official capacity, and quite apart from the delay in attempting to meet them, there was evidence that proved that Stivala had been responsible for acts and omissions inconsistent with the office of Commissioner of Police and prejudicial to the good order and discipline of the force.”

As a result of these findings, on August 1, 1928, Stivala was transferred to the post of Superintendent of Prisons at the emoluments attached to that post and on condition that he was liable to be transferred to another post at any time at not less than the same salary. However, when the Nationalist Party returned to power in 1932, Stivala was refunded the difference in salary since his transfer. Meanwhile, Salvatore Galea was appointed head of police.

During 1930 and 1932 there was an interregnum of colonial administration. In May 1930, during the election campaign, Lord Strickland clashed with the ecclesiastical authorities and the Governor declared a state of emergency.

On the eve of the general election a pastoral letter published by the bishops prohibited Catholics, under pain of mortal sin, from voting for any candidates except those of the Nationalist Party. This brought about the suspension of the election and the powers of the Legislative Assembly were assumed by the Governor, although ministers were retained in an advisory capacity.

On Pentecost Sunday, June 30, 1930, after the pontifical Mass at St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, two demonstrations were held outside the cathedral – one in favour of the Archbishop and another in favour of Lord Strickland. Following these demonstrations the police arrested15 people, charging them with gathering with intent to hold a demonstration.

These cases were heard before Magistrate Serafino Vella, but while some Nationalist supporters were fined or acquitted, the Labour and Constitutional supporters received severe punishments, including imprisonment.

Appeals were made by the convicted Labour and Constitutional supporters as well as by the public prosecutor, who maintained that the charge of unlawful assembly carried a sentence of six months’ imprisonment, which meant that the case had to be decided by the Criminal Court and not by the Magistrates’ Court.

The Court of Appeal upheld the public prosecutor’s plea and the seven Labour/Constitutional supporters were later tried by jury and five of them were given prison sentences ranging from 15 days to two months. Another was fined £5 while the seventh was acquitted.

After these convictions the defence notified that it intended to take the case to the Privy Council but five days later Governor Du Cane gave a free pardon to the prisoners, who were released from prison.

This Pentecost Trial, as it became known, was the first trial in the Criminal Court to be conducted entirely in Maltese, as before May 19, 1930, all trials were conducted in Italian.

The following August the Governor enacted an ordinance by which he assumed the power to appoint more than one Commissioner of Police. The Governor could also direct that “all or any of the powers and duties which were vested to the Commissioner be exercised by each or any or all of the Commissioners of Police either jointly or separately”.

It also became lawful for the Governor to order that the Police Department be administered and governed by a board and to confer and assign to each or any or all of its members any powers and duties which were by law or regulation conferred or assigned to the Commissioner.

By virtue of this ordinance, with effect from August 24, 1930, Colonel Gustav Brander, OBE, was appointed Joint Commissioner with Salvatore Galea.

According to the letter of appointment, Brander’s post was temporary and when his services were no longer required in the force he would have no claim to further employment in the civil service. His salary was £800 per annum while that of Commissioner Galea was £500.

Brander was mainly responsible for keeping an eye on the political manifestations and he was heavily criticised by the Nationalist Party for the way he carried out his duties. In fact, after a political meeting in Paola on April 10, 1932, Mid-Day Views, a Nationalist Party paper, demanded a public inquiry about police incompetence at the meeting. It claimed that Brander had behaved in such a way as to lead one to believe that he had become Strickland’s tool. During the meeting there were clashes between Constitutional and Nationalist supporters, and Sir Ugo Mifsud was struck on the forehead by a missile.

Before the 1932 general election, the Governor had enacted the Prevention of Seditious Propaganda Ordinance by virtue of section 12 of His Majesty’s Letters Patent dated April 14, 1921. This section empowered the Governor to make laws in respect of peace and good order.

By seditious matter the law meant any printed material, signs or visible representations contained in any newspaper, poster, book, letter, parcel or other document and any gramophone record which was likely to have a tendency directly or indirectly to seduce any officer, soldier, sailor or airman in His Majesty’s Army from his alliance or his duty.

The law also empowered the police (not below the rank of superintendent) to enter, break into or forcibly enter buildings, vessels or places and to search and take possession of any seditious matter.

However, a search warrant from the Governor was needed. On March 18, 1933, the police made a series of raids in the residences and offices of Gino Muscat Azzopardi, editor of the journal Dr Xekkek; Ġużè Orlando and Salvu Pulis, members of of the Labour Party executive; Joseph Storace; Francesco Pulis; Wiġi Azzopardi, editor of the journal Il-Quddiem; Karmenu Cara­bott, a dockyard employee; Juan Mamo and John Valvo.

Later the police accused Carabott, Azzopardi, Orlando, Pulis, Valvo and Storace of having imported, distributed, sold and kept seditious matter. All were found guilty and while Storace was set free under the First Offenders Act, the others were jailed for one to two months and fined.

On October 18, 1933, the Court of Appeal began to hear appeals against these cases. However, the judge turned them down because they did not contain a summary of all the points of the cases, but when the condemned people were being taken to prison they were informed that the Governor had granted them a free pardon and they were released.

The 1932 election was won by the Nationalist Party and on June 21, 1932, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici became responsible for the police. One month later, Gustav Brander’s appointment as Joint Commissioner was terminated and Salvatore Galea was retained as commandant of the force.

Later, Ordinance XII of 1930 regarding the reconstitution of the Office of the Commissioner of Police was repealed. However, on November 2, 1933, control of the Police Force was assumed by the Governor in preparation for the declaration of a state of emergency under which the ministers were dismissed.