The second group of recruits to join the police this year, yesterday had a meeting with Justice and Interior Minister Tonio Borg just days before their admittance into the corps in early December.

The group was made up of 68 men and 35 women and together with the 150 recruits who joined earlier this year, the police manpower has gone up by over 250. At the same time some 100 young people are also being interviewed to join the Police Academy as recruits.

The Department of Information said this rather strong addition to the police strength makes up for the loss in the lower ranks which occurs for various reasons, including promotion.

When the police academy was set up in 1988 it took care of pre-service basic training given to constables. In time in-service courses were started for other ranks and the academy also took over inspectors' pre-service training.

The academy has grown too small for its purpose and work is to be taken in hand for a new academy, to be developed at Ta' Kandja complex.

The training it gives lays out the role of the police in a democracy, working with the three pillars of the system – the judiciary, the legislature and the executive.