Reference is hereby being made to the article “White storks shot - BirdLife” (page 10, TMID, 31 May).

The ALE Police have dedicated much of their efforts to combat illegal hunting and trapping both on land and at sea during these last 15 years. This year was no exception and ALE officers patrolled sensitive hunting spots both on land and at sea.

It is imperative to remember that during the March ducks migration, because of the hefty police presence, not a single report of illegal sea hunting activity was received. The same police presence on land between March and May helped prevent illegal activities of this sort also on land. Fifty-one individuals were caught breaching

hunting regulations on land, 12 were caught trapping illegally and one was found in possession of protected species. These infringements were detected by ALE officers between March and the first days of June.

It is not uncommon that ALE officers are deployed on other non-environmental duties throughout the year since they form part of a bigger organisation which is the Police Force. Thus, their deployment has to be viewed on wider exigencies of the Force.

WPC Roberta Fenech

for Commissioner of Police

FLORIANA