Police Commissioner reinstated despite not meeting criteria

New Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit

Former Police Superintendent Peter Paul Zammit was recalled into the public service to be appointed Police Commissioner despite not qualifying for reinstatement.

A letter tabled in Parliament by home affairs minister Manuel Mallia shows that the ministry's permanent secretary informed the Office of the Prime Minister that Zammit "does not qualify for reinstatement as he is over 50 years of age and had resigned from the service on pension after having completed 25 years of service in the Police Corps."

However, the ministry recommended that the qualifying criteria should be disregarded. In a letter dated 17 April, Kevin Mahony, the ministry's permanent secretary wrote: "In view of the experience of ex-Superintendent Peter Paul Zammit, I highly recommend that in this particular case, the age and retirement factors should be overlooked as explained above and favourably consider his recall in the Police Force as required by Section 8 (c) of the Pensions Regulations (Chapter 93) as amended by Act IX of 1990 and by Regulation 3 (b) of the Fifth Schedule of the Police Act (Chapter 164)."

In the letter, the ministry explains that during his years of service, Zammit "always served with dignity, efficiency and diligence and was an excellent example of respect for authority."

It also notes that following his resignation, Zammit graduated as a Legal Procurator and his legal acumen were considered when the government opted to recall Zammit as Commissioner.

The ministry also pointed out that in the past similar requests were accepted and cited the reinstatement of Sebastian Psaila and John Portelli, who were recalled due to their expertise despite not meeting the established criteria.

Following the ministry's assessment, the home affairs minister wrote a letter to Zammit in which he informed him that following consultation with the Public Service Commission, the former Superintendent was appointed as Commissioner on Scale 2 as of 13 April.

In the hand written letter sent on 22 April, Mallia said that Zammit was duty bound to carry out assignments government could bestow on him and if he was transfered or given different duties he was not eligible to further renumeration.

Zammit was appointed on 12 April, replacing outgoing Police Commissioner John Rizzo who was appointed head of the Civil Protection Department.

This is the second time that an 'outsider' is appointed Commissioner of Police - in 1987, Eddie Fenech Adami appointed Alfred Calleja as commissioner. He left the force in 1980 on medical grounds but was reinstated in May 1987 and promoted to superintendent three months later. He served as Police Commissioner between 1988 and 1992.

Zammit, 52, is a legal procurator who served in the Police Corps for 25 years until 2009, having served as inspector and superintendent.

Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.

More from Jurgen Balzan

•

A new broom truly sweeps clean and removes cobwebs.... why all this resistance in having a new Police Commissioner by the PN & their cronies.... is there something we don't know OR THE PN DO NOT WANT US TO KNOW ??????? The more the PN persist the more it smells fishy, very fishy indeed!

•

@Kukkanja......very nice nickname by the way! Calleja was not over 50 when he was re-instated and when he resigned from the Corps the 25 years service pension scheme was not applicable..... since Mintoff had removed it some years earlier, and the pensionable age was 61. The 25 years service clause was re-introduced in 1987, when the Nationalists came to power. Or do you suffer from dementia????? And by the way tal-PL always smells.

•

What about the other members of the police force who remained in the police force despite the arrogance of the previous government? Are they all not suitable for the post? Is it possible that no one else is capable for carrying out the duties of commissioners? Is it possible that no one else had the experience as and perhaps even more than Zammit and who is trusted by the present government? In my opinion this is another mistake by the PL.

•

Tal-Moviment Progrssivi u Moderati jistaw jaghmlu stock taking tac-Civil kollu u jaraw kemm hemm nies f'certu posizzjonijiet u jaraw xi kwalifici jew kemm suppost qedn. Jekk ghal xi raguni ma jaslux jienlest naghmel lista jien. Whats good for the gooss is good for the gander. Dawn in nies tal-PN ma jifilhux telfa. Dawn sejrinjaghmlu min kollox biex jergaw jisirqu il-Gvern minghand tal Moviment, ghaliex inkella ma ikomplux iffallu dan il-pajjiz aktar milli fallewh. Jaqaw qedin tibzaw mis Sur Zammit li sejjer jaghmel xoghlu u rressaq xi erba il qorti? jew tridu illi issiru taghmlu xi partita frams ups bhal ma ghamiltu jew hallejtu li ssiru?

•

I think that the headline is biased and does not reflect history. It should have read: 'Zammit reinstated after retirement :just like Callejja was in 1987'! Jew tal-PN ifuh waqt tal-PL jintenn?

Police Commissioner reinstated despite not meeting criteria

New Police Commissioner Peter Paul Zammit reinstated despite not fulfilling criteria, however home affairs ministry recommended recall in view of his experience.