Police officers have been instructed by their union to stop helping Transport Malta and LESA officials contact the owners of cars that must be moved.

In a directive issued on Friday, the Malta Police Union told its members that as of next Monday, they are to refrain from offering help in such cases unless it was an emergency that could cause harm or damage.

Officers have also been instructed not to hand over their mobile phones to such officials, with the union saying this was to protect their personal safety.

Police officers will still respond to calls for help by individuals who need police help to remove a vehicle obstructing their right of way, such as when a car is parked in front of a private garage.

The directives come weeks after the MPU first flagged its concerns about an overwhelming number of requests for help that other governmental entities were filing.

According to the union, Transport Malta and LESA officers repeatedly ask the police to contact the owners of vehicles that need to be moved, due to road works or other obstructions. It cited one such case when officers stationed in Valletta were given a list of 53 vehicles by a Transport Malta official and asked to contact their owners, to move the cars due to road works.

“This is a daily occurrence and is having a very negative effect on already stretched to the limit officers,” the union said.

According to the union, subsidiary legislation empowers transport enforcement officers from non-police agencies to order the removal of any such cars themselves, without having to resort to the police.

“Since TM officials have equivalent powers on this matter, the police force should not be involved in their normal duties as long as no concrete assistance to protect same officers is requested,” the union said.