Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/620229
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 27 DECEMBER 2015 15 yet, we changed the ID cards with- out too much difficulty…" Ultimately, however, he reminds me that any change to the electoral process would require an amend- ment to the Constitution, and that would require cross-party discus- sion first. Meanwhile, there is another di- mension to the question of whether we are making optimal use of the forces of law and order. We have already talked about the size of the Force. What about the conditions of employment? It is worth pointing out that the typical job of a policeman is not the same today as it was 20 years ago or more. Malta's crime land- scape has changed of late – if not in the amount of crimes commit- ted, certainly in the type of crimi- nality involved. We are now expe- rienced 'new' phenomena such as gang-related crime, human smug- gling, house burglaries on a scale that seems very well-organised… in brief, the job of crime-fighting has become more difficult, demanding and dangerous. Do the police's conditions of work reflect this changing reality? "I see no harm in discussing work conditions…" Are there any plans to revise them? "At the moment there is nothing on the table, no. But I see no harm in starting a discussion on the subject. Not just take-home pay, benefits and other issues related directly to employment. Also work practices. But if I may say something regard- ing the crime rate: some may have the perception that the crime rate is on the increase. But actually, sta- tistics indicate that crime is going down. It is no consolation for me, I have to add. I always look at figures, not to use them politically… but as a matter of fact. The fact is that crime in general is going down, not up…" But that is only part of the pic- ture, he concedes. "It is not enough for the crime rate to drop; we have to also concentrate on crime pre- vention. That is why I believe it is important to have more police presence within the community. It is one thing to have an efficient sys- tem in place to respond to crime… that after a system of investigations, prosecutions, etc., you get results… but it is far preferable not to have to go through that process by prevent- ing more crimes. For that, we need to focus more on prevention…" There is meanwhile other con- siderations regarding employment conditions within the Police Force. Apart from reflecting the chang- ing face of police work, adequate remuneration is also a safeguard against corruption. A well-paid law enforcer has less incentive to accept a bribe than one who is struggling financially. "I don't think that is an excuse," Abela interjects. "Like I said, I'm open to discussing changes, but the reason shouldn't be that." A policeman, he seems to be suggesting, should never accept a bribe on principle, and not out of financial considerations. "Not just policemen, either; it applies to poli- ticians, too… in fact, it applies to everyone." Well, that's partly my point. Par- liamentarians did give themselves a raise not so long ago, didn't they? With much the same justification. We also talk about improving the conditions of judges and magis- trates, for similar reasons (in fact, we started talking about after the judges's scandal of 2000). Is the minister confident that, with their current work conditions, Malta's police are as insusceptible to corruption as reasonably possible? "I am against corruption in all its forms…" he begins. No doubt: but does he think it is a reality within the Force all the same? And shouldn't his own argu- ment about 'prevention' also apply to corruption? He pauses. "From time to time there is hearsay, but I can't confirm anything. That is why one other issue I personally also discussed with the Police Commissioner was to have rotation from time to time within police assigned to Paceville. Not just Paceville, but all police serving in all districts. This way, policemen would not be assigned to districts indefinitely, or until transferred. The Commissioner is already working on this; it is after all his duty to assign police work. But I think there has already been an im- provement, and this was the feeling I also got from my meeting with the GRTU and their members." The presence of police in Paceville has just increased, he reminds me. "But I expect more than just num- bers. The quality has to increase al- so. That's why I mentioned training earlier. To think and act swiftly, you need to be trained. It's not enough to know the law: there are situa- tions where a policeman has to use personal judgment. What course of action to take? How to best calm a situation? I place a lot of emphasis on training for this reason. And hopefully we will get there, too." Interview … better trained, better equipped, and more present in Malta's communities. Home Affairs and National Security minister CARMELO ABELA outlines his New Year Resolutions for the Malta Police Force PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD