People expect to find empathy from a police officer but the relationship between the police force and the public is often an uneasy one, according to Police Inspector and President of the Police Union Dr Sandro Camilleri.

Dr Camilleri was replying to questions by TMI’s Director of Content Pierre Portelli on this week’s edition of INDEPTH.

Dr Camilleri conceded that some people distrust the police force. “I encounter an average of 20 cases a day of people who need help or want to pass on information or report a crime but who are not comfortable going to a police station,” he said.

He insisted that the police lack important tools such as telephone tapping, unlike other police forces abroad. If the police have more frequent access to telephone tapping, which would come with checks and balances, severe security features and the involvement of magistrates, then the police could investigate people with questionable lifestyles, inspector Camilleri explained.

On the subject of political influence in the police force, Dr Camilleri said that it “plays a very big role and it is very troubling.” He feels that political influence hinders police investigations. “This is why the police administration, including the Commissioner, needs to be candid and free of any external interference,” he said.

The ministry, on its part, has categorically denied there being any political interference by the ministry in the investigative work conducted by the police force.

Dr Camilleri would not comment when asked if it was true that the present Police Commissioner’s days are numbered. However, he did say that under Lawrence Cutajar’s leadership “we don’t have the tyranny we had under former Commissioner Michael Cassar.”

Mr Cassar, who was acclaimed by both sides of the political divide, unexpectedly resigned from his post less than a year after his appointment, citing health reasons. In total, Malta has had five Police Commissioners in just five years, making it one of the most embarrassing periods in the force’s history.

Inspector Camilleri said he expects the new Police CEO, Angelo Gafa, to be more hands-on in the administrative aspect of the force. During the interview, he admitted that the quality of police officers is deteriorating because the best elements in the force are leaving while new recruits are coming in with lower qualifications. He himself is planning to retire in three years’ time.

Replying to questions on the recent spate of car bombs he said that this is nothing new – and compared it to the 1980s “when we had a bomb every three days”. He believes it is the current situation is the result of revenge attacks amongst rival criminals and went on to say that nowadays it is easy to assemble a bomb. It is his conviction that the materials required may come from a local fireworks factory.