This summer might be a peculiar one for many of us, and one that will be stuck in our memories for years to come. However, I want this summer to be remembered as the period in which we laid the foundations for delivering good governance in the Malta Police Force.
From my very first day in office as Minister for Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement, I have always reiterated that politicians should never interfere in police investigations. Yet, on the other hand, it is also the role of politicians, like myself, to push and back the implementation of serious reforms for the betterment of the police force.
Let’s face it, we live in an ever-changing society and a country that evolves from one year to the next. That is why it is crucial that our police force changes too, so that it can be in a better position to respond to the needs of the society it works to protect.
I am all for it, but I believe that before we begin implementing this change, we must ensure that the force is equipped with a strong institutional capacity. A systematic capacity-building programme must be firmly connected to the general framework of a reform process within the police force. It is precisely these foundations that we seek to build on in the near future.
These reforms must also be taken into context. Over the past few months, the government has focused on issues of good governance and rule of law, even though only weeks after the appointment of a new cabinet we were faced with the outbreak of a pandemic. We have worked hard to implement meaningful change, and the Venice Commission has commended our efforts. The commission positively welcomed the reforms in the appointment of the President of the Republic, the judiciary and the new method of selecting the commissioner of police.
We believe there is more we can do, and we are committed to doing more.
I am determined to see the necessary change take place, in favour of clear policies and guidelines that will lead to more transparency within the force. It is in everyone’s interest, both the public’s and police officers themselves, to have a transparent and just police force.
To achieve this aim, together with the new leadership of the police force, we will be implementing a set of policies that have been due for quite some time. Most of these policies are also in line with GRECO (Group of States Against Corruption of the Council of Europe) recommendations, which I want to see entering into force over the next few months. It is high time that the police force adopts a new code of ethics regulating the behaviour of its members, as they operate in a reality of a more connected society. However, the code of ethics will not be effective if it is not aligned with other serious reforms.
It’s high time that the police force adopts a new code of ethics regulating the behaviour of its members- Byron Camilleri
I believe that the force needs to also have an anti-fraud and anti-corruption policy that regulates the way in which all officials, particularly high-ranking ones, can interact with people from certain sectors of society. This policy is one that I practise myself. Politics makes you reassess your relationships, and I believe the same should be said for police officers. Part-time work carried out by police officers must also be better regulated.
In no way does this mean we should take away an officer’s opportunity to seek part-time employment; however, we must make sure that this employment does not conflict with the duties he or she carry out as an officer.
I truly believe that clear regulating policies will increase job satisfaction within the force as officers will know exactly what is expected of them. However, it is our job to provide respectable working conditions that allow our men and women in blue to raise a family.
Despite all this, it is not enough to simply have these policies on paper. That is why we need to give our officers more training when it comes to police ethics and integrity. In this way, we will have more officers who will not only lead by example but will also be in a better position to understand and respond to the issues we are confronting as a society.
Over the years, the public has come to expect more out of its police force, and its members and their training must reflect this expectation.
Another change I would like to see the police force tackling is the devolution of power. This change mirrors the work being done at a national level where the power of the prime minister is being drastically reduced. The introduction of the Police Governance Board was a step in the right direction. Our next step must be changing the way promotions and job selections are made within the force. Job selections should mainly be done upon recommendations of a selection board; however, in certain circumstances, the interests and necessities of the force must also be taken into consideration.
It is with the utmost pride that I write about this issue on Police Day. Two hundred and six years ago the Malta Police Force was founded, and since then, our officers have protected and served this great country. It is now time to step-up our efforts and begin a new chapter, one that will lead to a more robust force. A force that invests in education, a force that looks to improve the lives of its officers. This is the kind of police force I wish to see.
Byron Camilleri is Minister for Home Affairs.