Certificates of merit were awarded by Police Commissioner John Rizzo to policemen who were successful in preventing crime.

PS1240 Joseph Camilleri, PC1316 Peter Agius, WPC67 Vanessa Borg, PC265 Kenneth Ciangura and PC869 Kurt Gauci, were awarded a certificate for catching people red-handed who were committing a robbery from Tal-Ħandaq industrial estate.

The thieves were stealing a safe carrying €64,000 in cash.

PS1354 Claudio Redent Coppola got his certificate for being instrumental on 21 July, 2008, when he was off duty, in two being caught red-handed while stealing from a yard in Burmarrad.

The certificates of merit were presented also to:

PS114 Massimo Persiano for taking part in various activities related to Frontex in Greece, representing the Malta Police between 14 March and 7 April;

PC729 Kevin Decelis who on 31 July when he was off duty enjoying the day with his family at the beach, caught a man red-handed committing a theft;

PC450 Christopher Bartolo and WPC297 Rhian Spiteri when off duty at Sta Venera caught a person attempting to mug an elderly woman;

PC77 Carmel Parnis who on 11 August last year, also on his day off, in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq saved a person from drowning in stormy seas;

PC121 Josef Vassallo and PC1606 Robert Vassallo while on duty with the Traffic Section in Sliema, went to help a person whom they noticed in difficulty trying to get ashore because of the rough sea;

PC1430 Alexander Mizzi who on 21 August last year when on motorcycle patrol saved the life of a woman driver caught in her vehicle after a collision. PC Mizzi managed to take the woman, who was four months pregnant, out of the car;

PC1597 Alfred Chetcuti was off duty on 24 August in Qormi when he arrested a person who had just set alight a house door in Main Street;

PC1606 Robert Vassallo was on duty with the Traffic Section on 9 October when he caught a man red-handed stealing from a bay in St Julian’s, and just eight days later, when he was off duty in Siġġiewi, caught two men who had just stolen gas cylinders from various homes; and

PC1129 Adrian Elich who was off duty on 29 November and was instrumental in saving the life of a person caught in a vehicle being carried away by strong currents in Chadwick Lakes after heavy rainfall.

The awards ceremony also included the presentation, for the first time, of a certificate of appreciation by the police commissioner, awarded to Joseph Bonnici for his work over recent years, as manager currency operations at the Central Bank of Malta, in cooperation with the Anti Fraud Squad to help protect the euro against counterfeiting.

A trophy was also awarded to Valletta District as the district which was most successful in reducing the crime rate, by 15.19%.

PC1606 Robert Vassallo, who on two occasions with nine days caught three men stealing, was awarded the trophy for the official who distinguished himself during the year. The recipient is selected by a board which considers policemen nominated for it from among those receiving a commendation or certificate of merit.

A trophy and shield were also awarded for a shooting competition held on Police Day at the Police Academy. The winners were:

1st place: PC660 Alexander Mifsud; 2nd place: PC1282 Dino Farrugia; and 3rd place: PC727 Orazio Scicluna.

The policewoman who did best in the competition is WPC13 Dorienne Vella. The shield for the district doing best was won by the ninth district.

Certificates were also awarded to members of the Corps who retired from the service last year after serving for 25 years or more.