President to police: be vigilant against outside influence on political corruption

Malta’s President of the Republic appeared to make a pointed appeal to the police force to ensure the prosecution of political corruption takes place effectively.

Myriam Spiteri Debono’s speech to the police on the 210th anniversary since their establishment as a civil force in Malta, coincides with the ongoing prosecution of former ministers and disgraced prime minister Joseph Muscat in connection to a fraudulent hospitals privatisation contract.

In alluding to the Maltese police’s motto – Domino dirige nos (Lord, guide us) – Spiteri Debono segued into the need for the prosecution of political corruption to be seen as completely impartial.

“Divine guidance is nowhere more necessary than when the Police Force is faced with allegations of crimes with political overtones,” Spiteri Debono said after citing the police force’s official motto.

“This is delicate and slippery ground. The Police Force has to be extra vigilant that, in the exercise of its powers of investigation, and subsequent decisions whether to proceed to judicial action or not, the people see it as being clean of partisan sentiments and removed from the influence of the seats of political power.

“If the people are to treat the discretionary powers of the Police with respect, the Police Force must be seen to be aloof from influences outside itself which may be perceived as tainting its judgement,” Spiteri Debono said.

She added that it was not enough that citizens feel safe in their homes and in the streets.

“The executive duty of the Police to preserve public orders stretches and includes all laws; laws dealing with the usurpation of public authority and the powers thereof, as well as any actions which may threaten the national security of Malta as protected under the Security Service Act.

“This is a very heavy load,” she said.

Spiteri Debono said the time had come to further flesh out the autonomous nature of the Police Force while counterbalancing this with the obligations of accountability and impartiality.

“I am raising this point because it appears to me that, somehow, we are relying on conventional norms and perceptions to describe the institutional character of the Force.

“This should not in any way be regarded as interfering with Article 5(1) of the Police Act, which lays down that the Government shall be responsible for the strategy direction of the Force.”

In thanking the force’s members for performing their duties beyond the call of duty, Spiteri Debono cited a recent survey by the National Statistics Office found around 60% saw the force had a high level of integrity, and that 80% mentioned the need for more police patrols.

“It is heartening to hear that community policing is expected to encompass all towns and villages by the end of this current year. Community Policing helps in bonding the Police Force with the people.

“Visibility and information engender trust. They are necessary tools if the people are to feel, at first hand, that the Police Force takes the maxim of ‘min-nies għan-nies’, adopted by the Force on its two hundredth anniversary, seriously.”

Spiteri Debono said the introduction of an information unit had been instrumental in making people more aware that the force is there for their benefit. “However, more needs to be done if the people are to increase their trust in the Police Force as the impartial guardians of their wellbeing.

“From the survey I referred to above, 54.1% of those interviewed considered the Police as impartial enforcers of the law. Surely, better publicity can see this figure increase, especially if impartiality is seen in the context of treatment meted out to suspected erring individuals undergoing investigations.”