The actual celebrations programme started on 1 June with the Valletta police station being opened to the public for the day and a display by the police jazz band and the canine section. However, the major activities were held yesterday at the square where a number of activities were held.
Different police departments such as the Special Assignment Group, the Mobile Squad and the Administrative Law Enforcement section, who were waiting in Freedom square minutes before the parade started officially, were protagonists of an impromptu display.
The dogs of the canine section, however, stole the attention as passers by stopped to pet the animals or even take a quick picture. As the official ceremony began, the National Anthem was played and shortly after President Edward Fenech Adami inspected the guard of honour.
The marching band then played some anthems, but really got the crowd involved when they played a selection of swing and rock and roll pieces, with the crowd clapping and dancing along.
The event then included a display of each section of the corps with a brief historical introduction by two presenters.
The first to give the display were the cavalry who prepared a precision drill with the horses ridden into choreographed sequences. During the sequences there was a light moment, when an eager cleaner rushed to the square to pick up the horses’ droppings while the actual drill was going on, but was called in by the police officers managing the show and asked to wait for the display to end.
After the drill there was a parade with a selection of the force’s memorabilia, including police uniforms going back to the very beginning. “I never knew the Maltese police wore Bombay hats,” a young onlooker remarked, as a police officer on horseback wearing an early 1900 uniform rode by.
One of the highlights was a 1956 Volkswagen beetle that was used by a police commissioner for a time. The car was actually one of the first ordinance cars. Before the cars, the Volkswagen and a Ford Zephyr, two motorcycles were also shown, one of had a sidecar, which the presenters said was used by police inspectors.
The parade concluded with a march by the various police sections and police veterans. The mobile squad and the motorcycle section as well as the Administrative Law Enforcement section paraded with their respective vehicles.
There was a moderate attendance at the square, perhaps understandably given that it was a weekday; however, the event was enjoyed by the crowd, most of whom stood there for the whole event despite the beating sun. Today the police will be holding their final celebrations in Gozo in Victoria and Marsalforn.
Meanwhile, Labour Party spokesman Gavin Gulia issued a statement for the occasion, praising the force for their service without which, he said, law and order could not be kept.