Eight valid candidates have applied for the post of new Police Commissioner, and the Public Service Commission will undoubtedly have a tough time to narrow the list down to just two.

For the first time ever, candidates for the sensitive post will be shortlisted by the PSC. The Prime Minister will then pick the preferred candidate, who will then be grilled before Parliament’s Public Appointments Committee.

This means that the level of scrutiny will be much higher than ever before – previously, it was the PM who directly appointed police commissioners and look how well that worked out in the last five appointments. This time, we need to get it right.

The eight who have applied have vast experience in the Malta Police Force. Most of them are still serving, while others retired after serving in different branches for many years. Some of them are lawyers, others lecture at the university. It is also positive that two out of eight candidates are women.

The PSC will pick two candidates according to a set of criteria that have been drawn up for this particular exercise.

The applicants must be Maltese, be able to communicate in Maltese and English, be accountable, self-confident, assertive and emotionally intelligent.

They must also be of conduct which is appropriate to the position and, more importantly, be able to lead ‘transformational change’ in the police force.

This latest requirement is probably the most important, because a police commissioner must not be chosen simply because he or she ticks all the boxes in a list, as would happen in any normal job. The successful candidate has a daunting task of not only reforming the police force to reflect modern realities but also work to restore the reputation of the force, which was heavily dented over recent years.

The new police chief must command the respect of those serving under him or her and must have the courage to resist political interference. Under new leadership, the force must have the courage to take action even in the most politically sensitive and controversial cases. The force cannot be reluctant in the face of damning reports and accusations of wrongdoing and possible criminal acts levelled at politicians.

The workings of the force are currently under review as a result of the recent traffic branch scandal. That exercise must be concluded swiftly and successfully. Steps must be taken to ensure that such a thing never happens again.

The police must also work hard in fields where they are lacking, particularly in the fight against financial crime and domestic violence.

The new police commissioner must be someone who can make all this happen while restoring trust in the force and bringing it closer to the public.

We truly hope that this new process, which was not welcomed by all, gives the country the Police Commissioner it deserves.