There is something particularly troubling about the government's silence over the future of the Birkirkara Police Station.

Governments are usually quick to respond when criticism is directed at them, particularly when the issue concerns public safety. Yet in this case, the government has so far remained conspicuously quiet. That silence makes the questions raised by the Nationalist Party all the more pertinent.

The issue is not merely what will happen to a particular building. It is whether the government has a clear policy for the country's police stations and, more importantly, whether it is planning ahead.

Birkirkara is one of Malta's largest localities. Its police station is also the District Police Station for the Ninth District, covering not only Birkirkara but a number of surrounding localities. It therefore serves a considerably wider community than the town itself. With the existing premises to be converted into tourist accommodation, the obvious question is: where will this important police operation move to?

The government should not need to be pushed into answering such a basic question.

The gradual reduction in the number of operational police stations around Malta is not a new development. A number of localities have lost their police stations over the years, while community policing has become a more prominent part of the government's approach. Community policing has obvious merits. Having police officers present within communities, engaging with residents and addressing problems before they escalate is a positive development.

But community policing cannot completely replace the reassurance and accessibility provided by a physical police station.

There is a practical and psychological value in knowing where the local police station is. People know where to go if they need assistance. They know that there is a place in their locality where they can report a problem, seek help or speak to an officer. Not every situation can be dealt with through a community officer, an online service or a telephone call.

This is why the Birkirkara situation should concern more than just Birkirkara residents.

If one of the country's largest towns can apparently face the loss of its police station without an alternative arrangement being publicly explained, residents elsewhere are entitled to ask whether their own police station could eventually face the same fate.

There have already been localities where police stations have closed and have not been replaced by fully operational alternatives. That creates a worrying pattern if there is no clearly articulated national policy explaining which stations are considered essential, which can be replaced by other forms of policing, and what criteria are being used to make such decisions.

Modern policing inevitably changes. Technology, digital services, mobile patrols and community policing all have an important role to play. But modernisation should not become an excuse for allowing the country's police infrastructure to decline without a clear plan.

The government should therefore explain what its policy is. How many police stations does Malta need? Which stations are considered strategically important? What happens when premises become unavailable? Are replacement sites identified before closures take place? And what level of police presence does the government consider adequate for large localities and districts?

The police perform an essential public service, and officers need the infrastructure and resources to perform it effectively. Citizens need confidence that help is accessible when they need it.

The PN is therefore right to raise the Birkirkara issue. The government should now provide clear answers rather than allow speculation to fill the vacuum created by its silence.

A police station is more than a building. It is a visible commitment to public safety. If Birkirkara is losing its station, the government must explain where its police will operate from. And if this is part of a wider policy, the public deserves to know what that policy is.

Public safety requires more than appearances. It requires planning, presence and accessibility. On Birkirkara, the government has so far provided none of the clarity that the public is entitled to expect.