Despite positive statistics from different sources, showing that the rate of violence against public officers is going down, the general public's approach towards them is "degenerating" due to a matter of culture, said Herman Mula, lawyer and president of The Simon Schembri Blue Light Foundation.

The 2024 EuroCOP meeting highlighted a surge in violence against police officers, contrasting with recent local statistics showing a decrease in violence rates following the introduction of body cams.

But Mula is not impressed with statistics.

"I have followed the statistics quoted recently by the government, statistics which emanate from the number of reports and arraignments in court. I am not a person impressed by numbers to be honest," he said in an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday. "Although numbers might have gone down, the approach of the general public towards the authorities is degenerating. This is a matter of culture which, in my opinion, no government with any kind of strategy can change."

The Simon Schembri Blue Light Foundation was set up following a brutal hit-and-run incident in 2018 involving police officer Simon Schembri, which resulted in serious injuries. The aim of the NGO is to be the moral and psychological support of first responders, spanning the Police and Military, among others, complementing the support already given by the government.

The foundation was contacted following the events of 22 September when two police officers were assaulted by civilians during a patrol in Hamrun following the handing out of a contravention to an illegally-parked vehicle, a police statement on the day had said. The intense assault led the two officers to use taser guns and pepper spray, before calling for reinforcements. The officers involved sustained light as well as grievous injuries, with footage of the attack going viral on social media and subsequent investigations leading to the arrest and arraignment of five individuals.

As a consequence of the Hamrun assault, government proposals were made for amendments to the criminal code with regards to violence against public officials, covering the Police Corps, among other disciplined workers. The second reading of the bill, that raised the penalties of acts of aggression towards public officials as well as removing the possibility of a suspended sentence and conditional discharge for culprits, was held on 14 October with the Minister for Internal Affairs, Byron Camilleri, saying that violence against public officials is "the exception not the rule" yet a single case being "one too many".

Camilleri further pointed out that cases of violence against public officials had decreased by 70% since the deployment of body cams. On the other hand, he openly acknowledged that those who keep the peace are not always in the right but, even then, there is a way that society is obliged to react.

Just two days before the second reading, on 12 October, three officers sustained injuries, including an arm fracture, following an assault by a 39-year-old man who was accompanying a relative summoned to the Sliema police station regarding an incident of dangerous driving.

When Mula was asked if a drastic change in trend was noticed by the Foundation since it was set up in 2018, he answered that an exact answer "will be in the hands of the police who receive and investigate such reports". He added: "I do not have the statistics at hand... Nonetheless, cases of violence against officers are still present and will, unfortunately, remain."

In response to remarks suggesting that aggression toward disciplined corps is simply "part of the job", some have compared officers who haven't experienced aggressive behaviour to "football defenders who never receive a yellow card". Mula said that the reasoning behind this idea is that "there will always be individuals who, in extreme circumstances, opt to engage in aggressive behaviour towards officers. This, nonetheless, does not mean that such behaviour is acceptable or may be, in any way, substantiated."

Asked if the fact that the foundation was founded after a serious incident, raising questions on whether there is sufficient support for the disciplined corps, Mula said that "support is never enough, but it does not mean that setting up an NGO, which is primarily aimed to raise awareness, is a result of State failure". He added: "NGOs, like unions, have a function to support the State in particular circumstances, and in others, keep the State in check, and accountable."

When pressed on the general public's opinion towards disciplined corps and emergency responders, particularly with the advent of social media, Mula said that "although being a maze of opinions, social media has become an essential part of everyday life, so all the entities, whether governmental or otherwise, need to be actively involved on these platforms".

"I believe that the police themselves, although investing on social media engagements more than before, need to centre it more on the image of the office of the Commissioner of Police."

Mula explained that "the Commissioner is called on by the officers as 'ix-xiħ' meaning 'our father' so it is expected by the Police that the Office of the Commissioner engages in the father figure image of the men and women in blue".

In light of the 2024 EuroCOP meeting, highlighting a need for more data with regards to violence against police officers, Mula was asked if, locally, violence against police officers is being recorded and documented properly. "Through my extensive engagement with the police in different fronts, no officer ever came forward saying that he was a victim of aggression, and the perpetrator was not brought forward and charged to face justice," he said.

With the 2024 EuroCOP meeting and Maltese authorities reaching consensus on the importance of further training in light of attacks on police officers, Mula said that "training is never enough, but through my experience, I strongly believe that no amount of training can ever come near to experience. Experience is the best asset which an officer can possess which, I strongly believe, is a good 80% of what is needed from a beat cop."

He added however, that "this is where, in my opinion, things are changing, and where and why the Police Force is suffering a dent in its efficacy. Seasoned officers are game-changers in any situation, be it a simple fine, an arrest or even in complex investigations".

With regards to the current state of the Malta Police Academy, Mula said that he has been "lecturing at the Academy for almost 10 years now and cannot say that things are perfect. Nonetheless, we need to put things in perspective - the entry level of a police constable is not academically the same as the one to commence a University degree or jobs which require degree or even diploma entry levels, which nowadays are the norm. So academically-speaking the deliveries and examinations need to reflect this". On the other hand, he pointed out, "with regards to physical, weapon usage and self-defence, more can be done, but I can assure you that it is way better than it was in the past".

With regards to the deployment of body cams, Mula said he believes that "yes, they do provide an added deterrent against aggression towards the police, but unfortunately and with utmost regret, the resulting footage is being used unfairly against the officers, in an unfettered way, in particular judicial setups". He said he was "referring to the fact that if an officer is engaging in a difficult arrest or in a dangerous situation, it is very normal that due to the adrenaline rush, the officer might use particular jargon".

Mula went on to point out that while the Blue Light Foundation has the "utmost respect and full confidence in the judiciary", the problem lies with the "slow pace" of the criminal justice system. Accused people have a right to defend themselves but there are cases where there is a clear intention to prolong proceedings. "This results in serious psychological harm to the victim and his family."

Mula appeared optimistic with regards to the proposed amendments to the criminal code. "It is a positive response from the government with regards to the impetus which was raised by the general public in light of the cases we had lately. I agree with the approach taken, since the legislature should not tie the hands of the judiciary. This is because I honestly believe that there are mild cases of aggression which do not merit effective imprisonment, so it will still be up to the judiciary to impose effective imprisonment where it is truly warranted."