A government led by the Nationalist Party would reopen all closed police stations in 24 months and improve national security with cctv schemes for homes.
Addressing the media today, PN MP and Home Affairs spokesperson Beppe Fenech Adami highlighted issues with recent government policies in favour of community policing leaving police stations closed for lengthened periods of time.
“Police stations are still the go-to point for many people who are victims of crime. The fact that more than half of all police stations in Malta and Gozo are closed is of great concern.”
In order to promote community policing even further, many stations had to close due to the lack of police officers who can cover the shifts. This was confirmed by current Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and his predecessor Michael Farrugia.
Fenech Adami then brought to attention the ‘frightening’ statistics of police recruitment. Throughout the past decade, there were more retirees from the police force than recruits.
Fenech Adami said that that “between 2020 and 2021, 300 officers have left the force, some because of retiring after 25 years of service while others left early. In the same period only 100 new police officers were employed.”
Fenech Adami put the fault of lack of police officer recruits at the mentality of impunity in the country due to the government’s wrongdoings.
Identifying key localities where crimes of vandalism ad delinquency are prominent is key. Stating that “it is not right that people lived in fear of their own homes,” a PN government would be focusing on the localities of Marsa, St Paul’s Bay, Sliema and St Julian's especially.
Fenech Adami said that in the first eight months of this year 2,997 reports of theft have been filed. “This results in 12 thefts a day, meaning one every two hours.”
Apart from addressing the employment shortage in the police force, the PN pledges to introduce community support officers and extended neighbourhood schemes.
Though the neighbourhood scheme, residents would be trained by official entities to be able to provide more secure streets.
PN also promised the introduction of a new app were residents can report various crimes such as stalking, cyberstalking, cyberharrasment, bullying and domestic, physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Together with the app, an educational campaign for the elderly would be conducted together with incentives for cctv cameras in residents homes. “Working with the people to reduce crime hotspots is the way forward under a PN government.”