Gavin Gulia, Labour Party spokesman on the interior, said on the 193rd anniversary of the police corps yesterday that the government should ensure that policemen were always motivated when carrying out their duties.

Their morale should be kept high, especially by respecting their dignity and giving them the merits they deserved.

Paying tribute to the police, Dr Gulia said security and good order in the country could not be maintained effectively if not with the work and commitment of the corps. As criminality was becoming more complex and organised the corps needed to be better prepared to meet new challenges.

For this the police needed always to have integrity and be loyal to their mission, carrying out their duties honestly and with dedication.