Out of an approximate 340 police corps members accused of criminal activity, around 140 were convicted of crimes between the years 1987 and 2013, according to figures tabled in parliament earlier this week.
The information was tabled by Minister for Home Affairs Michael Farrugia, after he was asked by Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield to list the number of police corps members accused of crime between 1987 and 2013, along with the crimes, the ranking of the police officer and what action was taken by the police force till the case was closed.
The crimes that the then police corps members in question were sentenced for are varied, and include possession of drugs, fraud, bribery, bird hunting, rape, theft, dangerous driving, defilement of minor, carrying firearms without a licence, illegal hunting and attempted homicide.
The vast majority were suspended while their cases were being heard.
Around 190 officers who were charged were acquitted. Some others had the cases against them dropped because of time barring.
Action by the Public Service Commission, for those found guilty, depending on the sentence, included the dismissal of the member from the police force, reprimands, suspension, reduction or withdrawal of salary, a downgrade in rank and written warnings. Approximately 50 cases resulted in the member being sacked from the police corps.
The topic regarding police corps members and criminal records began last week in Parliament when Farrugia explained that former police officers with a criminal record can apply for reinstatement in the police force, unless their crime is deemed serious. The alteration of these regulations was highlighted by Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi who said that the regulations for reinstatement in the police force changed since March 2013.
Labour MP Glenn Bedingfield asked Opposition MPs whether there were any police corps members with criminal records during the governance of the Nationalist Party.
When asked by Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami what motivated the change in criteria, Farrugia replied, “God forbid we call everyone who has committed a small crime, a criminal.”