Government considering insurance cover for disciplined forces

Government is mulling the possibility of providing an insurance policy for members of all disciplined corps, home affairs minister Carmelo Abela said.

Addressing representatives of the disciplined force in Valletta this morning, including the police, AFM, Civil Protection Department and prison warders, Abela said that the government is evaluating several proposals, including health and life insurance, after an expression of interest was issued earlier this year.

Abela explained that the move is part of the government’s effort to assist families of officers who are injured or killed on duty.

The minister also announced that members of all disciplined corps, including civil protection members and prison warders, who suffered a disability during their 25 years of service will get a full pension.

“In cases of fatalities sustained on the job, the families and relatives of the members of the disciplined corps, will get a full pension,” he said.

He added that as a result of these changes some 4,500 members of the forces would be entitled to a full pension.

“Although we would like to ensure that such situations do not occur, our job is to envision any possibility,” Abela said, noting that the extension of the right to the civil protection department and prison wardens, sought to iron out the anomalies between the forces.

“Any job in the disciplined forces requires dedication and loyalty to safeguarding the nation, and we should acknowledge the risk and sometimes life-threatening nature of the tasks entailed in some of the duties,” he said.

Abela also announced administrative shakeups in the police, the CDP and the Corradino Correctional Facility.

In the coming weeks, Abela said, the correctional facility will get a new director while the police and CDP will see new appointments within the administrative set up.

Abela’s predecessor Manuel Mallia, had announced plans to appoint a CEO within the police corps, which is currently led by an acting commissioner.