Archive:Law enforcement in Malta
Law enforcement in Malta is the responsibility of The Police Force of Malta, an unarmed 106 strong police force with 1,732 other civilian employees,[1] whose mission is defined by the Penal Code of Malta and Maltese Law on the Police Force. Founded on July 12 1814 by Sir Thomas Maitland, then governor of the island, the Maltese Police Force is responsible for the main island of Malta, as well as neighbouring islands of Gozo and Camino which also come under Malta's juresdiction, the total population lying around 400,000.[2]
Organisation
Despite its small size, the Maltese Police Force is organised into a number of departments, with human resources matters being held by a Strategy and Programming Office, and fiscal issues beign dealt with by a Finance Office. An office for the Territorial Police Force Units administers Malta's 12 police districts, with three sub-deptartments of The Crime Investigation Office assisting with serious crimes, drug related crimes and financial crimes. These mainstream departments are also suppored by a Criminal Laboratory a Vice and Financial Crime Persecution Department and a Protection Services department for VIP escorting and security as functions and protests.[3]
Furthermore, a department known as The Special Unit, which coordinates activities with EUROPOL, INTERPOL (since 1971) and SIRENE, is tasked with controlling immigration into Malta. 500 illegal immigrants alone were arrested in 2003 by the Maltese police, many coming from Liberia, Egypt, Pakistan, Somalia and Ethiopia.[4]