Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa said that last year, there was a 35% decline in the number of cases of violence against police officers due to the implementation of bodycams.

In an interview with Andrew Azzopardi on 103 radio station, Gafa spoke about the current concerns around the police force, as well as how it operates.

Azzopardi asked the Commissioner on the efficiency of the new police off-road vehicles, which will be used by district and special branches police to reach rural areas. Gafa was asked if these larger vehicles should be used for major accidents or disasters rather than the transportation of police officers, given the current traffic problem in the country.

Gafa skirted around the traffic question, only commenting on the vehicles which are mostly used by the Rapid Intervention Unit (RIU). He said that these vehicles are equipped with things that normal police cars do not have as the RIU are the first respondents, who face life and death situations in serious cases.

Gafa also said that the requirements for a police officer to be qualified for the RIU have been strengthened, where a police officer must spend at least three years in district and community policing unless they have prior experience.

He was asked about the Msida skatepark car accident, where the driver was grievously injured when the two-seater car crashed into the skatepark, landing on its roof. Questions were raised whether the skatepark is safe in its current area.

Gafa said that the police force is a social partner of decisions in planning within certain circumstances.

“The police can only give its observations, and in the skatepark there was no need for a permit by police. We do, however, follow up with authorities when there is development and bring this to attention,” he said.

“The police force has to face these accidents when the projects have already been implemented. Crime can be avoided if you cater for it at the planning stage of a project, and places of entertainment must be secure for everyone,” he said.

The Budget had announced that there will be an agency which will regulate the current traffic problem in the country. The police has expertise and data which can be part of an inquiry regarding a traffic accident.

Asked about this, Gafa said that “we have the data and we share it with the appropriate authorities. The role of the police in this case, where it includes a magisterial inquiry, is to see if there is a criminal act, negligence, or an intention that someone has caused the incident, and investigate hand in hand with the court appointed traffic expert.”

On a question of if there is a lack of police officers in roads, Gafa said that until the end of October of this year, the police force has issued over 1,000 criminal charges which include dangerous driving, negligent driving, drivers without a license and those driving under the influence. This rate has already surpassed the rate of 2017, which was of 939 charges.

Asked about the issue of the blue lights of police cars, which are used in emergencies but have been used for police escorts of VIPs, Gafa answered briefly, saying that there are international protocols which are being followed.

He also said that traffic police are not the only team which manages traffic in the roads, but other squads such as the RIU, the community policing team and other squads within the police force also contribute to this.

The arraignment of three police officers which were charged for kidnapping and beating foreign nationals brought on a negative light to the police force, and Gafa was asked how the police force is reacting to the case.

“This is a case, and it certainly does not represent the police force. It is important to note on how the force has moved with regards to these allegations,” he said.

Gafa said that once the reports were received, the force tasked the most experienced officials, including the Criminal Investigation Division (CID), further putting forth the message that the police force does not tolerate these abuses and treats them as one of the most serious crimes.

“I am encouraged when I see that members of the same force reported their colleagues on alleged abuse, meaning that the change of culture within the force, which we have spent these past two years working on, is bearing fruit,” he said.

Gafa said that the force put emphasis on good governance, revising the code of ethics and evolving from a ‘blue wall of silence’ to a ‘blue wall of integrity.’

He mentioned that the anti-fraud and corruption policy was implemented, which created an integrity officer, the gifts and gratuities register and body cameras. The body cameras resulted into a 35% reduction on violence on police officers.

On the recent update that the Degiorgio brothers have filed a court appeal demanding a retrial, just over a fortnight after pleading guilty to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Gafa said that he cannot discuss a case whilst they are still under investigation.

Gafa said that throughout major investigations, namely financial crime investigations, the police make their report and conduct their own investigation, however it is the Office of the Attorney General who makes the final decision over which individuals should be taken to court.

Gafa did not answer more questions which referred to an individual by name, saying that the law restricts him from commenting on specific individuals.

Asked if the police force should communicate more with the public, Gafa said that never before has the police force communicated as much as it is now.

“The best communication is on the ground. We communicate with people via social media but also crime conferences, community policing teams and the media officer, who goes on site. There is also a policy which regulates how members of the force relate with the media, and in their training, there involve media relations, which is given along with the Institute of Journalists,” he said.

Gafa concluded by saying that by next January, the police will introduce a more gender-neutral uniform, which is also comfortable and provides security.

He said that he has regular meetings with the Malta Police Unions, where he said that today, there is an agreement on everything. Gafa had told the union to consider suspending certain directives – such as the t-shirt directive, so that discussions can be made maturely.